» the best goal is no goal “With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson Post written by Leo Babauta. The idea of having concrete, achievable goals seem to be deeply ingrained in our culture. These days, however, I live without goals, for the most part. It means you stop letting yourself be limited by goals. Consider this common belief: “You’ll never get anywhere unless you know where you’re going.” And there’s the rub: you have to open your mind to going places you never expected to go. Today, I live mostly without goals. The problem with goals In the past, I’d set a goal or three for the year, and then sub-goals for each month. Unfortunately, it never, ever works out this neatly. And so your weekly goals and monthly goals get pushed back or side-tracked, and you get discouraged because you have no discipline. Of course, you don’t actually end up getting there. Here’s the secret: the problem isn’t you, it’s the system! How it works What do you do, then? Quick questions
The Story Of Positive Thinking We have all heard the slogans. “Think Positive!”, “Expect only the best outcomes!”, “Strive to be happy”, “Avoid negativity!”, “Put more effort in your intentions!” “Find happiness in what you have” or “Be careful with your thoughts, think negative and you’ll attract negativity. Positive thinking has become quite popular amongst spiritual communities and even in the business world. But let’s tune into the underlined key words that are often paired with this concept. Notice how agitated and demanding these thoughts and concepts feel in the body. Sure, we can try to avoid or shape this moment all we want and believe that this is how you create your ‘ideal’ reality. The truth is, there can be a belief system or a suppressed emotional baggage behind our thoughts and desires. Why should we put so much effort in creating happiness? Notice how our minds have been programmed to avoid uncomfortable feelings. Self-policing our way to “happiness” is no different than walking on eggshells.