Why I Am NOT A Goal Oriented Person
At the tail end of 2020, a friend of mine asked me what my goals were for the upcoming year. My response left her in stunned silence:
“I’ve never really been into goals”
See, my life had never resonated with the Western ethos of goal setting and attainment. Just the thought of writing down an income target for the year or timeframe for my next trip just felt so constraining and unnatural.
Goals in their essence represent a black and white, one-pointed destination to a specific destination. For me, that’s where I go, “yuck.” For I’d rather savor the paradoxical, random, and mysterious surprises of lives versus being attached to some specific outcome
It goes without saying that describing my aimless ways to others is very distressing to those enmeshed in today’s grind it out, gotta make this happen world. Don’t get me wrong — those who know me well will tell you that I am a very hard worker. But I find that my life is a lot richer than some targeted destination I’ve written down on a sheet of paper.
I attribute my non-aspirational ways to having long practiced a Taoist philosophical principle known as Wu Wei. It means “effortless action” or the practice of steering clear of actions that are not in accord with the natural rhythm of life. In other words, instead of forcing life to align with a specific goal, I allow things to flow naturally and effortlessly in the moment.
By way of example, I decided a few weeks ago to fly to San Diego on a whim. No agenda or end result — just the opportunity to wander and experience a beautiful city. Stayed for a week until I was no longer feeling it. I then booked a trip back home.
My buddy Jason Gregory talks about what it looks like to eschew one’s goal-orientated lifestyle in favor of more of an aimless existence in the short video below. Be sure to check it out.