How Does Obliquity: Why Our Goals Are Best Achieved Indirectly Explain Indirect Success?

2025-12-12 17:47:50 92

4 Answers

Rhys
Rhys
2025-12-13 09:11:31
At 58, I’ve seen enough fads in business books to spot something genuinely fresh. 'Obliquity' isn’t just theory—it’s wisdom. Kay shows how indirect approaches built empires: IKEA’s flat-pack innovation came from cost constraints, not some grand vision. The book made me chuckle at my younger self charging at goals like a bull.

Lately I apply this to gardening. My prize-winning roses? They flourished when I stopped micromanaging pH levels and just observed what made them thrive naturally. Kay’s message is profound yet simple—like water finding cracks in stone, persistence matters more than perfect angles.
Owen
Owen
2025-12-15 18:45:17
'Obliquity' clicked for me during a marathon of 'Stardew Valley.' Trying to min-max profit ruined the fun, but when I focused on designing a pretty farm, the gold rolled in anyway. Kay’s book frames this paradox beautifully—the best outcomes emerge from engagement, not obsession. His case studies span mountaineering to medicine, proving indirect paths aren’t lazy, but adaptive. Now I chase goals like a cat chasing sunlight—with playful persistence.
Penelope
Penelope
2025-12-16 13:34:38
John Kay's 'Obliquity' completely shifted how I view success. I used to obsess over rigid plans—spreadsheets, five-year goals, the whole deal. But Kay argues that complex goals (happiness, innovation, even profit) can't be bulldozed into existence. Like trying to paint joy by numbers! His examples blew my mind: the Wright brothers didn’t set out to 'discover flight'—they tinkered with bicycles and curiosity.

What resonates most is how obliquity mirrors my own hobbies. When I stopped forcing myself to 'become an expert guitarist' and just played songs I loved, progress happened naturally. Kay’s philosophy feels liberating—success isn’t a straight line, but a dance where sometimes sidesteps move you forward. Now I embrace detours, whether in gaming strategies or career moves.
Henry
Henry
2025-12-17 08:36:32
Reading 'Obliquity' felt like uncovering a secret cheat code for life. Kay dismantles that corporate mantra of 'direct KPIs = success' with hilarious clarity. Remember when Boeing prioritized shareholder value over engineering? Yeah, that backfired spectacularly. The book’s packed with these 'aha' moments—like how the most profitable companies often aren’t profit-obsessed.

It reminds me of open-world games actually. If you sprint straight toward the main quest marker, you miss the weird side quests that make the story rich. Kay’s theory explains why my best creative writing comes when I abandon outlines and follow tangents.
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