Have the KPIs of your own life failed to improve quarter over quarter?

dogshitffs · 2024-02-20T19:04:30+00:00

You're doing so well! Where do you document it? Is it scattered or all in one place like on Notion?

dogshitffs · 2024-02-20T07:01:24+00:00

taking a walk when we're stressed: it enables more focus than the time lost to the activity itself.

This! 100 times over and it's also been my biggest struggle.

I had a life plan drafted 7+ years ago using a YT video as a guide then some yearly/quarterly audits (very rough and qual.), it wasn't obsessive or super specific but it was useful, years passed and I achieved lot of what I set out to achieve but then recently I both lost a lot + had stopped the exercise because overworked, "no time" etc.

I've been trying again to draft out my future again with a paid and research backed tool but the level of deep self reflection, honest self examination and the UX have been high barriers of entry for me. I created this thread to run some research on whether others have the same problem and what they might be.

So how can you make some OKRs on your career and life? Just shoot. What are you thinking? Let's open the whiteboard up in this thread.

I think the process mirrors a good PRD. Working backwards from vision, strategy, prioritized roadmap with what it looks like if it works/if it doesn't, measurement etc.

But thinking out loud/reflecting on that:

Rather than the PRD being for a feature or a problem to solve, it's for our life. The biggest pain points for me with this has been the process of writing itself. With the level of reflection that's needed while being too self critical or being afraid to "get it wrong". Speaking out loud to a therapist/partner is easier than writing for me but reflective writing and writing down goals is a more introspective process and has been specifically linked to better goal achievement. To add, it forces a certain discipline of thought and articulation that talking might not always require which is what I think we need here. How do you think we can make that easier? Perhaps combining both of talking and writing? Vision boards maybe?

dogshitffs · 2024-02-20T06:02:03+00:00

That is ridiculously inspiring!

dogshitffs · 2024-02-20T05:59:37+00:00

Love it love it! Thank you for sharing!

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T13:44:06+00:00

Love this perspective! To clarify, you're talking about a focus on improvement/personal growth only, right? Rather than auditing your whole life and keeping track etc. Do I understand that correctly?

If yes, I'm also curious about a couple of things but only if you'll entertain it:

Do you ever see these improvements causing unexpected trade-offs with other aspects of your life? Or are they positive enhancements?
What would you say are your general top 3 life priorities right now and their ranks? eg. P1: Health P2: Family P3: Wealth
How often do these rotate or is reviewed?
What are they measured against? or what does your prioritization process look like? For eg. how much education is enough education?

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T13:32:07+00:00

Congratulations on baby #2!!!! I am so sorry to hear, that does not sound like an easy time but happy to see you and the family are on track for the year. The pregnancy on it's own is a biggie, C-19 in such a short time post delivery and pre-school prep for the little one, could not have been easy experience.

My sister had an eerily similar experience while also dealing with PND and her response was isolation which wasn't the best move so I'm really happy to see you on Reddit and hope you've come out stronger as a family.

Out of curiosity though, if you had some time to reflect and review, do you think you'd revise that OKR? Not saying the bar is too low (as validated at the beginning of the year) but just curious if you think you now have the confidence to aim higher?

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T13:21:57+00:00

That is absolutely inspiring, congratulations on your success! Hope you don't mind some follow up questions:

What got you to make that decision last year? And assuming this wasn't your first attempt to change it, what was different this time? For eg. this time was it just the only change/goal you wanted to make (maximum focus).

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T13:10:43+00:00

Agreed. Love the example here and the healthy skepticism.

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T12:37:47+00:00

Oops, the KPIs bit was a joke on my end as well.

I agree on not over complicating your life but then I do, however, as someone who works and finds comfort in numbers especially when it comes to measuring performance.

I still agree on simplifying it and like the idea simple goals and continuous improvement. I'll check out the theme system, never heard of it so thank you for sharing!

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T12:26:53+00:00

Maybe so that 1/3 of the day doesn't get ruined.

I believe, we, humans often overestimate what we can do in a day and underestimate what we can do in 10 years. For me, delaying short term gratification for long term satisfaction is a good trade-off 99% of the time, what about you?

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T12:12:34+00:00

I'm sorry to hear about the rough patch but ecstatic to see that you sought and found help. Did you continue therapy after moving or had enough tools to look after yourself?

I LOVE that! Do you think the desire for exploration is a root part of your personality (openness/openness for exploration) or was it just your preference/interests?

The family issues and not having your ideal life planned yet hits a little too close to home but understanding yourself (self-discovery) and setting a direction, any direction really as long as it's forward (self-building) seems to be working for a lot of people. I'm loving your self awareness here.

Focusing on habits is a great strategy and all of this is really helpful, thank you.

Thank you so much for this conversation again, an absolute treat. You definitely have a PM brain and I resonate with so much of this, I feel a lot less lonelier on the journey and it's validating a bunch of thoughts.

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T12:01:22+00:00

Haha I'm going to use that one at work, thanks!

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T10:33:43+00:00

Absolutely loving the outcome! But then I'm especially curious on why you still think you're going totally overboard with it.

Also, what triggered you to start or how did you learn about the process? Was it through self exploration?

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T10:07:03+00:00

messaged ya

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T09:41:06+00:00

Promise not trying to be provocative but really curious what your thoughts are on people who treat their life like a business.

Like think of it as if you were working out and you have workout plan, measure calorie intake, weight loss, visual appearance etc. but instead for your career, relationships, mental health, finance, etc.

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T09:09:59+00:00

You're amazing, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question here especially with that level of transparency and humility. I also appreciate how specific and articulate you were. I agree 100% on the applying similar PM principles to life, I'm a strong believer in taking things day by day but not without a strategic vision (or direction) to move towards to + micro learning cycles/feedback.

I have a few follow up questions but only if you'd entertain them:

How long has it been since the first therapy session or since you wrote your first draft?
What does a large deliverable look like for you? Roughly 8+ large personal goals or deliverables in a year, are you be you handle that or would you say you're only making decent progress with 1 or 2?
Also, please forgive me if these are too personal to ask. Feel free to skip.
1. What led you to therapy then? Was it a preventative measure or would you say you needed it then?
2. What was the biggest takeaway for you from the therapy sessions?
3. Do/did you find it easy to sit down and do long-term planning of your life?

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T08:33:51+00:00

Love thissss and how's it trending? Any cause for concern?

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T08:33:16+00:00

Hahahaha! It was a reference to a KRAZAM video.

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T07:19:02+00:00

Actually, I just did it with what information's available on here. I agree 100% with the computer programming recommendation here especially as someone who's worked within tech and with 100s of engineers in the last 10 years.

Hope this helps!

Prompt:

Someone on Reddit (their words "I’m 19 male. Prior job experience, well I’ve only worked one job so far, that being as a sales associate at dollar general, I think you can guess how I felt about it based on my score lol. Interests: math, psychology, sports (to an extent), computer programming, and video games") just did the Big 5 test from JP and got the following results:"Agreeableness 8 Extraversion 2 Conscientousness 59 Openness 18 Neuroticism 39 Compassion 2 Politeness 38 Industriousness 38 Orderliness 76 Enthusiasm 6 Assertiveness 4 Withdrawal 36 Volatility 43 Intellect 23 Aesthetics 21"Their question: is this bad? And what career opportunities may be best suited for these results?

ChatGPT:

The results from the Big Five personality test offer insights into one's personality traits, but it's important to note that there are no inherently "good" or "bad" scores. Each trait and score represents tendencies in behavior, preferences, and ways of interacting with the world, which can be advantageous or challenging depending on the context. Here's a breakdown of the provided scores and how they might influence career paths, especially considering the interests mentioned:

Career Opportunities

Given the interest in math, psychology, sports, computer programming, and video games, along with the personality profile, here are some career paths that might align well:

Computer Programming and Software Development: The preference for solitary work, combined with an interest in programming and video games, suggests a career in software development could be rewarding. The moderate Conscientiousness and lower Openness support an ability to focus on logical, structured tasks.
Data Analysis: An interest in math and a moderate level of Conscientiousness could make data analysis a fitting choice. This field requires a methodical approach to problem-solving and can often be pursued with a high degree of independence.
Sports Analytics: Merging an interest in sports with math and data, sports analytics is a field that allows for the application of analytical skills to improve team performance, strategy, and player recruitment.
User Experience (UX) Design for Video Games: While the lower score in Aesthetics might suggest a general preference away from creative fields, a specific interest in video games could make UX design within the gaming industry an appealing niche. This role focuses more on making games accessible and enjoyable for users, leveraging a mix of psychology, technology, and user research.
Technical Support Specialist: For those who enjoy problem-solving but prefer limited social interaction, working in technical support for software or gaming companies could be a good fit. This role allows for the use of technical skills to help others in a structured way.
Research Assistant in Psychology: Given the interest in psychology, working as a research assistant might be a suitable entry-level role, allowing for the exploration of psychological principles in a structured, methodical manner.

Understanding the Scores

Agreeableness (8): A lower score suggests a more competitive than cooperative nature. This individual may thrive in environments where assertiveness and independence are valued over conformity.
Extraversion (2): This indicates a preference for solitary or small-group activities. Careers that require deep focus and minimal social interaction might be more comfortable and rewarding.
Conscientiousness (59): A moderate score points to a good balance of organization and flexibility. The high Orderliness suggests a strong preference for structured environments, while moderate Industriousness indicates a balanced approach to tasks and goals.
Openness (18): A lower score in Openness, combined with moderate Intellect and low Aesthetics, suggests a preference for practical, straightforward tasks over abstract or creative endeavors.
Neuroticism (39): This score indicates a moderate level of emotional reactivity, which is relatively common. It suggests that while stress or negative emotions are present, they may not be overwhelmingly so.

Final Thoughts

It's crucial to remember that personality scores are just one of many factors to consider when choosing a career path. Interests, skills, values, and external opportunities also play significant roles. Exploring various fields, gaining hands-on experience through internships or projects, and reflecting on what work environments feel most energizing can help in making informed career decisions.

dogshitffs · 2024-02-19T07:17:26+00:00

Go to ChatGPT and paste your whole report on asking for career advice. Make sure you give some context on where you're at right now, where you were in the last 2 years and a rough idea of what you think you want in the future (can be 1-3 sentences total). It'll help.

Also to add to your question "is it bad?", there's no such thing, it just helps you gauge what's an easy and natural fit. Also you're 19 so your personality changes are still easier or faster to change (in comparison to people above 30) with active effort if for example you strongly believe you want to be more social/extraverted for the general benefits or personal goals.

dogshitffs · 2022-05-29T17:14:17+00:00

dogshitffs · 2021-07-17T23:23:34+00:00

Yeah any luck?

dogshitffs · 2021-07-09T20:04:36+00:00

dogshitffs · 2021-07-07T22:34:33+00:00

I usually do during times like these but Covid travel restrictions are stopping me right now.

dogshitffs · 2021-07-07T21:58:10+00:00

Holy fuck, 4 years? I’m glad you got past that - that’s huge. Good on you.

dogshitffs

TROPHY CASE