I don't set personal goals

01 Oct, 2024

People are often baffled by this. So here's why I don't:

Above all else we want happiness.

The reason we do what we do is to feel happy.

We want money, because we think it'll make us happy. We want freedom, connection, and status for the same reason.

We set goals because we believe in some way the attainment of that goal will make us happy.

But there's a glaring problem with this approach.

If goal setting worked. If it gave us what we want. Which is happiness. Then once we achieved what we set out to do we wouldn't have to set another goal.

If we had truly attained happiness. And happiness was what we achieved by the attainment of the goal. Then once we get the thing we wouldn't need to chase it anymore.

But that's not what happens is it?

One completed goal leads to more goals.

Creating a perpetuating cycle which leads nowhere because if we were actually whole and complete within ourselves we wouldn't keep setting goals.

So I don't think goal setting actually works.

Sure, people do achieve goals. They get the thing they wanted.

But then they set another goal.

Thus rendering the whole point of personal goal setting faulty at best. But I think it's worse than that.

What if setting more and more goals but never feeling satisfied by those achievements actually leads to more and more suffering.

The Buddha was very clear about this when he said:

All of life is suffering
And all suffering is caused by desire

So, that's why I don't set personal goals.

And my life has improved indescribably since I jumped off that wagon.