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Hidabroot - Torah & Judaism - Achieving Your Goals - Part 1: Do What You Set Out to Do - Rabbi Paysach Krohn

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Author: Hidabroot - Torah & Judaism
Categories: Religion Productivity
Tags: religion, productivity
Views: 2 · Last viewed: 2026-10-16 00:54 UTC

Short Summary

Main recommendation: Stay focused on the goal you set and do not let distractions or small detours derail you until you reach it, while building the four Ds (desire, dedication, drive, determination) and a fifth D, direction. Rabbi Paysach Krohn draws this from the Torah's account of Terach who set out for Canaan but stopped at Charan and never arrived, and from Rav Hutner's view that great figures like the Netziv, Chofetz Chaim, Ohr HaChaim, and Rambam were not born geniuses but developed through these qualities.

Key Points

  • Terach set out for Canaan but got diverted at Charan, which the Chachamim present as a lesson: once you choose a goal, keep going until you arrive rather than stopping partway.
  • Rav Hutner, as quoted by the speaker, holds that the four Ds (desire, dedication, drive, determination) are how anything gets accomplished, and the speaker adds direction as a fifth.
  • The speaker cites the Netziv, Chofetz Chaim, Ohr HaChaim, and Rambam as examples of people who were not geniuses but became great through effort.
  • The speaker says the Chazon Ish taught that one must believe in Hashem, in the Torah, and in oneself, and that self-belief enables accomplishing a great deal.
  • The speaker credits his own productivity partly to a mother who believed he could do anything, and to a supportive spouse who manages the home, while also mentioning his new book 'Illuminations of the Mind.'

Details Worth Noting

  • Concrete instructions: Write down and apply the four Ds (desire, dedication, drive, determination) plus direction as a checklist for any project, such as building an organization or committing to a regular shiur or sefer study.
  • Concrete instructions: Define a specific destination before starting, then avoid stopping at intermediate points ("Staten Island" example) that feel like progress but do not reach the goal.
  • Concrete instructions: Ignore discouraging comments from relatives or others who doubt the project, and decide on your own determination to see it through.
  • Concrete instructions: Believe in yourself as the Chazon Ish advised, alongside belief in Hashem and the Torah, as the foundation for pursuing goals.
  • The speaker references Rav Hutner's book "In Search of Greatness" (compiled by Rabbi Yaakov Rinzeman), page 125, for the account of Rav Hutner's early 1950s meeting with the Chazon Ish.
  • The speaker notes that Rav Yitzchak Volozhiner's praise of his son-in-law the Netziv in a letter led Rav Yitzchak to realize he had underestimated the Netziv, illustrating how self-perception can shape growth.

Bottom Line

Reaching a goal depends less on innate genius than on a clear direction, sustained effort, and refusing to be derailed from the destination you chose.