# Why are do less goals auto-summing ?

**URL:** https://forum.beeminder.com/t/why-are-do-less-goals-auto-summing/1934
**Category:** Newbee
**Created:** [February 22, 2016, 7:50pm UTC](https://forum.beeminder.com/t/why-are-do-less-goals-auto-summing/1934 "2016-02-22T19:50:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 3

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### Author: ![dreev](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.beeminder.com/dreev/32/4311_2.png) [@dreev](https://forum.beeminder.com/u/dreev)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2016, 1:25am UTC](https://forum.beeminder.com/t/why-are-do-less-goals-auto-summing/1934/3 "2016-02-23T01:25:22Z")

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You probably do want it to be auto-summing even though the cumulative total number itself isn’t helpful. It’s what makes it possible to beemind your average lateness to bed. Check out the illustration from @grayson linked to in this discussion:

> [@Why Beeminder likes cumulative graphs](http://forum.beeminder.com/t/why-beeminder-likes-cumulative-graphs/498):
>
> [Grayson Bray Morris](http://www.graysonbraymorris.com/ "Check out those lovely Beeminder widgets in the sidebar!"), novelist and StickK-to-Beeminder convert, has a wonderful blog post – [Baby Got Bonus](https://www.graysonbraymorris.com/baby-got-bonus/ "UPDATE: this link used to live at http://www.graysonbraymorris.com/2015/01/baby-got-bonus/ and it would be nice to make a redirect so any other old links aren't broken...") – that describes beautifully the psychological value of Beeminder’s cumulative graphs. You don’t even have to read it; just take a look at the two illustrations she drew and the point will immediately be clear!

If you don’t mind linking to your graph though, we could help make sure it’s doing something sensible.

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