An Update On Goals

For the months that I've been on my writing adventure, and before that in a different form, I've been setting goals and measuring progress. Now, I'm re-thinking the value in the process and proposition of setting and tracking goals. I recently read Leo Babauta intriguing article about breaking free from goals, and it made a lot of sense to me. Among the faults Leo cites in goal-setting are the facts that they are artificial (not germane to the work at hand), constraining (preventing you, perhaps, from working on what inspires you), stressful (and not in a good way), discouraging (when they are not met), and placing emphasis on the future instead of the present.

Leo describes goal elimination as a logical extension of minimalism, and he makes a very good argument. I have found great value in the principles and practice of voluntary simplicity, and I can see its wisdom reflected in the elimination of goals.

Now, I'm wondering if I might be better off not setting goals for my writing enterprise. Does that mean I don't hope or expect to get anything done? Not at all! In fact, Leo writes, and I see the logic, that this will lead to better and more satisfying productivity: use time and energy on doing what you love instead of making and measuring goals. Two things I think are important: first, the realization that the best that you can ever hope for is to spend your time doing what you love, and second, the understanding that the journey actually is the destination.

So, while I am comfortable in saying that I'll be working on both Taxi Adventure and The Dancing Queen this month, I don't want to set a goal of finishing them. I know that there is a good chance I'll get wrapped up in one or the other of them and neglect the other, and a decent chance that I will find something else compelling and work on that instead. And what's the use of taking the time to set a goal that will only nag at me and make me feel bad when I'm out having a good time? I don't see a value in it at the moment.

Even more, I'm now considering how I might rewrite my business plan to value the journey and skip the goals. A business plan without goals? That is something to think about!

I think that everyone should read Leo's excellent article, and all his thoughtful and provocative articles at mnmlist.com. Take your mind back from the big business marketers, get off the treadmill, and really enjoy your life.