I started thinking about quantifying goals as a way to describe intuitive feelings and thoughts I have when setting goals and observing goals that others have set. Then it hit me that goals with no roof are goals that I have gravitated towards my entire life because they make me feel that I am moving in the right direction.
What I mean by goals with no roof are, for example, staying in good physical shape, composing music, expanding business knowledge or knowledge in a particular field - these are goals in which one is never “done”. I just worked out but that doesn’t mean that I don’t ever have to workout again. I just composed a song that I really like but that doesn’t mean that tomorrow I won’t compose another song that I really like. These are goals in which one develops - perhaps lifting heavier and heavier weights until a desired point; goals in which one maintains - the desired weight has been reached, now I workout with those weights; and then the developmental process can even happen again - I then perhaps find new exercises using those same weights to develop muscles in a different way.
So, within these limitless goals smaller, concrete goals are set, but my overall definition of the goal is broad and endless “staying in good physical shape”, as one example.
I have noticed that in this busy world where we must work, keep up with social contacts, plan for holidays and birthdays, celebrate holidays and birthdays, cook, etc., it is often an easy option to find concrete, simple goals within this framework and stop there. I will call this framework “fog”. I believe in the importance of these daily tasks and demands but if I would get lost in the fog (like I used to) I would never, ever have time to take on bigger, broader goals - goals with no roof.
I believe that having broader, far-reaching goals helps me keep perspective on the fog and keep in balance because sometimes the fog has the tendency, at least for me, to confuse my priorities and bring on negative psychological states. I also believe that the roofless goals kind of spoon-feed happiness so that every day you have a small spoonful. When I used to get caught up in smaller, concrete goals that weren’t part of a bigger concept, such as planning a perfect birthday party or buying cool kitchen supplies to work with, I noticed these goals could deliver a jumbo mug of happiness upon completion. But the danger is that the striving stops - the kitchen supplies need to be washed, the party is over.
And when I think of a spoonful of happiness per day I think of balance and stability as opposed to momentary jumbo-sized ego boosts that disappear quickly and leave one longing for the next. It wasn’t wrong to have those goals…but they distracted me from bigger, limitless goals that provide deep, long-term satisfaction - the true thing that drives me to get out of bed every day.
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