“I’ve never had a goal” is an article recently written by Jason Fried, the founder of the popular project management tool Basecamp. If you haven’t read the article already, I highly recommend you go back and read it now (it takes about 2-3 minutes to read).
TL;DR – In the article, Fried outlines his approach to goal setting which is basically that he doesn’t pursue actual “goals”. He simply does work and focuses on making continuous progress:
A goal is something that goes away when you hit it. Once you’ve reached it, it’s gone. You could always set another one, but I just don’t function in steps like that.
He’s right in that when you reach a goal, that’s it. You make a new goal and move on. It’s sort of like walking up steps compared to a steady slope. The end result is the same, but the approach is different.
He goes on to quote Jim Coudal and his approach to goals:
“The reason that most of us are unhappy most of the time is that we set our goals not for the person we’re going to be when we reach them, but we set our goals for the person we are when we set them.
When I first read this, I thought it was genius! It makes so much sense and explains why it’s hard to be truly content. I can think of examples in my own life where I’ve reached a goal and been less excited than I would have expected. For example, making my first thousand dollars online was a goal I so desperately wanted to hit, and you know what, I don’t even recall passing this milestone at the time. On the flip side, I never had a goal to reach 10,000 subscribers and even though I lacked this goal I was still able to achieve something significant.
However… I don’t strictly agree with the idea that you shouldn’t set goals or that you should embark on a project without some kind of outcome in mind.
- Goals provide direction and define what you're going to spend your time on.
- Goals keep you motivated towards some desired outcome.
- Goals help you prioritise what to work on and when.
Essentially, goals provide you with the smaller steps you need to take to reach the destination.
I find myself a little torn – how do you balance goal setting, which is important for adding a sense of direction and momentum to your work, while being content at the end of the day?
Breaking down the problem
When you work towards a goal, you develop and grow during the process. When you reach the goal, you’re not the same person. In order to make progress, you’ve solved problems and become smarter during the process. As you make this progress, you formulated a new goal in your head. Therefore, you’re not going to be happy with reaching your initial goal, because you’ve already got a new target in mind.
Enjoy the journey
Knowing that you’re going to change during your quest to reach your goal, instead of focusing on the destination, focus instead on enjoying the journey. It’s as Dan Millman says in Way of the Peaceful Warrior:
”The journey is what brings us happiness not the destination”
Yes, create a goal and enjoy yourself when you reach it. But shift your focus to enjoy the process of solving problems, learning, iterating and adapting while you navigate towards this target.
Remain humble in your efforts
In his new book, Ego is the Enemy (book summary), author Ryan Holiday tells the story of the United States Military Office, William Tecumseh Sherman. Sherman’s war efforts made him one of the most famous men in America, but despite this, he sought no public fame and remained extremely humble. In his biography, Sherman notes:
“Among men who rise to fame and leadership two types are recognizable—those who are born with a belief in themselves and those in whom it is a slow growth dependent on actual achievement. To the men of the last type their own success is a constant surprise, and its fruits the more delicious.”
I like this idea of controlling your self-belief in order to surprise yourself when you achieve something.
The key takeaway here is to refrain from using ego to boost your self-belief. When you talk yourself up, you’re essentially taking some of the satisfaction away from achieving a goal and enjoying it before you’ve even reached it. By remaining humble in your efforts, you can enjoy the satisfaction of achieving your goals after you actually do the work. Focus on walking the walk (and actually doing good) instead of just talking the talk (and sounding good).
Enjoy the moment
When you reach your goal, stop. Enjoy the moment. Think back over what it’s taken to get to where you are and soak up the satisfaction. If you have a journal, write down how you feel and document that feeling.
Goal setting is a forward thinking activity. Reflecting on your efforts is a great way to balance this “what next” mindset with enjoying the moment.
Action points
- Set realistic goals that appeal to the person you’re going to be.
- Enjoy the process of working towards your goals.
- Remain humble in your efforts and don’t let your ego fuel premature celebrations.
- When you reach your goal, stop and reflect on your achievements.
Do you have any of your own tips to add? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below!