I don’t find them motivating at all.
If setting goals works for you, go ahead. You are in good company at this time of year.
But if goals just make you panic about not achieving them and being a failure, I give you permission not to set any.
I don’t care if you write an article this term. Or if anything that you do in your 15-minutes a day can be published.
Are you on the path you want to be on?
Forget about the destination. You’ll notice you can’t even see the destination in the header image.
Some things that might be on your path
- intellectual stimulation
- time to think big thoughts
- interesting books
- stuff you want to dig into in detail
That stuff might be historical documents, interviews with breadwinning moms, climate change politics, the writings of Plato, or any number of other things.
What are the things that define your path?
Write them down.
Be as detailed as you like. Include things you aren’t getting right now but you want to be on your path.
Now that you know what the path you want to be on looks like, you can think about things you can do that will keep you on that path.
You don’t have to be going anywhere. You can just amble along slowly looking at the scenery. Really looking.
Can you find time to take a stroll down that path?
What would that look like?
Make more notes if you like. Share them, too, if you want.
If you’re worried about setting an intention to stroll down the path every day and then feeling like a failure because you can’t even take this tiny step, then step back.
What is the smallest step you can take?
Can you stand at the crossroads and look down the path?
Contemplate thinking about strolling down the path?
Take one small step on the path, knowing you could turn around and come right back?
Walk a little way down the path and then stop for a while?
And if you need help, let me know. I’m rooting for you.
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You don’t have to decide what to do with your life
This post was edited (and given a new title) on Sept 14, 2015. Re-edited June 2025.
JoVE-
I love this… It’s such a refreshing antidote to the New Year’s hype! I love the image of being on a road and not even seeing the destination. So much more like real life!