I can see him coming back down the hill thinking of how he improved from his previous efforts, how he shortened the time it took him, how much stronger he was getting. I can see Sisyphus as he rolls the boulder uphill constantly considering new ways to complete his task, more efficient means to achieve his end. In his book, The Myth of Sisyphus Albert Camus uses the story when discussing the meaninglessness and absurdity of life. Since we are like Sisyphus what happiness can we find knowing, like him, the work we do amounts to nothing? So that is why I ask you if you think Sisyphus was happy. No matter how much wealth we accumulate, what we build, or what reputation have we will always end up where we started.
There will always be something that will frustrate our ability to get that boulder to stay at the top of the mountain. We can go through all the extrinsic rewards, all the things that come from the outside world, that people cite as motivation only to find that like the monkey’s paw there will always be a catch. Fame is no more beneficial to the dead than wealth. Achilles says that he would rather be a slave to the worst of masters than be king of the dead. Later in The Odyssey, the sequel if you will, Ulysses encounters Achilles in the underworld, but the fallen hero is sad even after Ulysses tells him that songs are sung about him throughout the world, that he is known as a great man. Of course, since we are speaking of him still, we know he chose the former.
The alternative was that he could return to his farm to lead a long life in anonymity. If he stayed outside the walls of Troy fighting his fame would be eternal, a great warrior known throughout time, but his life would be short. In The Iliad, Achilles was given a choice. Perhaps we want fame after we shed this mortal coil to be remembered as a great innovator, a leader in our field of endeavor. Do you remember DEC? How about Floating Point Systems? You’d be lucky to see something you built last a decade, much less a lifetime. Eventually, everything falls into ruin, especially if you are in the technology business. Maybe you want to build something that is going to stand the test of time? All I need do is remind you of Shelly’s Ozymandias to explain the futility of such a goal. The rich man wants to be king and the king is satisfied until he rules everything.” Remember the words of the great poet Bruce Springsteen “the poor man wants to be rich. Why do you seek to achieve those particular objectives over others?ĭo you seek wealth, to be at the top of the list of the wealthiest people in the word? The trouble with such a goal is that it is never enough. What I did not address, however, was the question of why.
The first step in the process is to establish strategic objectives.
SISYPHUS BOULDER SERIES
At the beginning of 2020, I wrote about this in detail in a series of posts starting with Four Steps to a Better New Year.
Yes, I said I monitor my progress daily throughout the year. I then monitor my progress towards achieving these goals on a daily basis throughout the year. As part of a life strategy rather than make resolutions, I set annual objectives that align with my life’s goals. One of the traditions around New Year’s Day is to make New Year’s resolutions, which I believe to be a mistake. Do you think he was happy? Now I know this isn’t necessarily specific to Italian culture, but this is an important question, especially as we start a new year. Was Sisyphus happy? You know Sisyphus, the guy that was damned for eternity by Zeus to roll a huge boulder up a mountain only to have it roll back down once it reached the top.
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