The goal is the satisfaction of greatest utility, and akrasia seems to come into play when that isn’t the path of greatest perceived immediate reward, or is a path of a lot of perceived initial difficulty. Accomplishing the greatest total utility is the real goal, not necessarily experiencing fulfillment, happiness or contentment any time soon. Indeed some of the things that make me feel happy and otherwise content just drive me to do more of them, which isn’t my real goal. What I strive for more than those three things is motivation, and indeed I look for activities that the more I do them, the less happy I am about doing them and not doing what I know I ought to. At least if I’m not currently working towards the real goals themselves. But yes, I will at least agree that it’s harder to be productive if you really feel like crap, so a certain level of contentment is important.
If you believe that doing those things is likely to accomplish a goal you have, you will be better able to motivate yourself to do them.
This is an idea and strategy I’ve found a lot of success with, working to align what brings fulfillment with what I rationally expect to bring the greatest utility. This is feeling content about doing the things I have to though, not in order to do them.
The goal is the satisfaction of greatest utility, and akrasia seems to come into play when that isn’t the path of greatest perceived immediate reward, or is a path of a lot of perceived initial difficulty. Accomplishing the greatest total utility is the real goal, not necessarily experiencing fulfillment, happiness or contentment any time soon. Indeed some of the things that make me feel happy and otherwise content just drive me to do more of them, which isn’t my real goal. What I strive for more than those three things is motivation, and indeed I look for activities that the more I do them, the less happy I am about doing them and not doing what I know I ought to. At least if I’m not currently working towards the real goals themselves. But yes, I will at least agree that it’s harder to be productive if you really feel like crap, so a certain level of contentment is important.
This is an idea and strategy I’ve found a lot of success with, working to align what brings fulfillment with what I rationally expect to bring the greatest utility. This is feeling content about doing the things I have to though, not in order to do them.