What's the "why" behind your goals?

[saaretjie]

I was just reviewing some of my goals today and one of them was to be worth a million dollars in five years time... But while thinking about it I realized that I don't have a "why" behind it... I mean... I'd be content making an average living... I'm trying to think of something right now...

The best I've got so far, is so that I can... y'know... show off... A pathetic reason to be honest. I'm still thinking about it right now.

Anyone care to share the why's behind their goals?

[Angela]

My goals are only fun milestones that demonstrate my success in generating ways of being. The "why" is: goals give me specific, measurable ways to recognize whether or not I'm being what I want to be.

The goal is not so important -- the way of being is what makes the difference.

[saaretjie]

I guess you're right Angela... But in my (admittedly very limited) experience, I've found I'm more "into" my goals if I have a genuine reason for doing it.

But I bet there're loads of people that thought, "It must be fun to have a million" and then went on to get it.

[verbors]

Well, as much as I try to change it or hide it, most of the reasons for my goals are for money. I really do try to change that but it doesn't work.

I read everywhere that in order to achieve your goals, you must not focus on the money. It's really hard to change your reason and if you do your goal would become slightly meaningless. So I suppose just go with your own reason and don't try to change it.

I read this somewhere (might have rephrased it somewhat because I couldn't remember the exact quote): it is not the result that counts but the journal towards it.

[Angela]

Well, for me the inspiration might be living a life of abundance. Being abundance, in other words. In that case, acquiring a million dollars might be a milestone I could use to know I'm being abundance. It doesn't happen to be one that inspires me.

If you had a million dollars, what would you have? Other than something to show off, I mean.

[verbors]

Angela, what do you mean what would you have?

Do you mean what would you do with the money or what other motivation would you have for goals.

[Angela]

I mean: what do you imagine you would have that would be worth having if you had a million dollars? A million dollars is just cash, it's just a symbol of trust in the ability to trade. So what? What would it give you that's worth having?

Security?
Status?
Ability to make a difference in the world?

[saaretjie]

Originally Posted by Angela

Well, for me the inspiration might be living a life of abundance. Being abundance, in other words. In that case, acquiring a million dollars might be a milestone I could use to know I'm being abundance. It doesn't happen to be one that inspires me.

If you had a million dollars, what would you have? Other than something to show off, I mean.

I get what you're saying... But what could I get for a million dollars that I couldn't get with a 5K monthly salary?

Sure, I might buy a Ferrari or something if I had million bucks... But that's not me at all. It'd be fun, sure. But I would just do it because other people think that's what should be done when you're worth a million.

I have simple needs. Books. Computer. TV (For Sport only... Promise ). Arsenal season ticket.

... I suppose one could use the plain hunger for money as the why behind the goal. As long as it doesn't mess a person up ethics wise I personally see no harm in that.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by saaretjie

... I suppose one could use the plain hunger for money as the why behind the goal. As long as it doesn't mess a person up ethics wise I personally see no harm in that.

There may be no harm in it, but there's no inspiration either. Why bother setting a goal that doesn't inspire you?

[saaretjie]

Originally Posted by Angela

There may be no harm in it, but there's no inspiration either. Why bother setting a goal that doesn't inspire you?

I think it does inspire me though... not in the way some more personal goals do... But in a very business like "get to work" way... I think all big goals tend to do that.

(And for all the millionaires on the site... a million is a big goal... so nyah nyah)

[supertom]

whens it being something its normally something i admired and respected in somebody else, such as being genuine.

Buts thats mostly it theres not much i want to "have" , and "doing" is hard because people hardly talk about the hardwork and discipline that person as had to do. e.g jim carey used to sit on the LA hills, with a checkbook with the money is wanted, and he used to visualise becoming a success but you hardly ever hear about those things.

[annie]

I don't have the goal to have a million dollars...I have the goal to have 3 million dollars. And my WHY is HUGE. (I'm about 1 million short at this point in time).

My husband wants that much to "retire". And then we'll invest it at 10% which would give up about $300,000 a year....minus half for taxes.

At $150,000 per year, that's a great income to retire on.

Now my REAL WHY.

Humanitarian service & work. I won't have to work anymore, nor will my husband. We can devote full time effort to making a difference in the world. I have an entire page of WHY I need to have 3 million dollars in my LifeVision. (recorded and listened to daily). The WHY makes a huge difference.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by saaretjie

I think it does inspire me though...

Isn't that you're "why", then? Because it inspires you?

I'm not really hearing inspiration from you, though. You don't sound excited or invigorated or vital about getting a million dollars. You sound sort of..... flat... about it.

edit: hear how inspired Annie sounds about her "why"? Even in her little why, you can hear that she's on fire about her goal; she's full of the power of the universe. That's why I'm confident she will easily reach her goal.

[Love]

I agree totally agree with Annie. I don't think a million dollars just to have it is something worth pursuing. But, if you see money as a way to satisfy your needs so that you can better go about satisfying other people's needs, then the pursuit of money is a good thing.

I myself want enough money to take vacations when I want to and to have a nice house. I think it's funny that those are the only real things I want my money do to for me. Anyway, the rest of money I would earn would go back intro my programs for urban teens. I mean, once you reach a certain point (and are able to continually generate a satisfactory income) what do you need the surplus for?

[Joely]

The "why" behind my goals is service to humanity. It's interesting, I've just done an exercise on this and service and love came out as the whys behind my goals. That's what really motivates me to do what I do and make things happen.

[Toefur]

I want to be free!

[Joely]

Originally Posted by Toefur

I want to be free!

Totally digging the llamas there, dude.

[verbors]

I think this thread has gone off topic a bit but o well.

I think Love has a point. There is no point in having more money then you need (e.g 1 million dollar). If you can't spend the surplus the money might as well be air. I think that's one of the reason millionaires/billionaires donate so much money.

The reason behind my goal is money. The reason behind money is materials (like an acutally good computer, I am using a win2k right now). I also think part of my motive for money is to help others (I know, that sounds really cheesy). I have some friends who are in financial troubles (like really bad, a friend's husand nearly died from self harm because of the troubles). Its really painful to see people like that.

[saaretjie]

Originally Posted by verbors

I think this thread has gone off topic a bit but o well.

I think Love has a point. There is no point in having more money then you need (e.g 1 million dollar). If you can't spend the surplus the money might as well be air. I think that's one of the reason millionaires/billionaires donate so much money.

The reason behind my goal is money. The reason behind money is materials (like an acutally good computer, I am using a win2k right now). I also think part of my motive for money is to help others (I know, that sounds really cheesy). I have some friends who are in financial troubles (like really bad, a friend's husand nearly died from self harm because of the troubles). Its really painful to see people like that.

That's a brilliant reason!

I'd love to make loads of money so that I could help people. I'd start orphanages and homeless shelters. And free depression clinics (I was really depressed last year, and it feels so crap not having anyone to talk to).

Maybe that should be my motivation. But to do something like that I'd need waaay more than a million.

[n_vizion]

The why behind my major goals is to have the ability to use the bulk of my time on the "things" I want to do, not spend the day on menial activity that has no direct link to my objectives.

[Love]

The topic did get derailed a bit.

My goal is to create multiple programs for urban youth to help them to develop into productive citizens.

I think that there's a lot of ugliness and fear and misinformation and lack of healthy connections in my community. So my "why" is to help urban youth develop the skills and the mindset they need to positively contribute to society, becoming models for others in the process. I see this goal as leading to the health of the community, and thereby contributing to the health of the city, the state, etc.

[RT Wolf]

The why = purpose for setting the goal. As you keep asking the purpose for that goal, thte goal above that, the goal above that you end up with a purpose for life and Pavlina's writtne extensively about that.

Why does purpose matter?

Your context of either purpose or of living for your own needs helsp dtermine what goals you will pursue. Read that entry. it's relaly good.

[Zoey Jordan]

I enjoy reading what others share in here. This thread got me thinking about money. When we want money what we really want are the experiences or things we believe money will allow us to have. And the experiences or things will create emotions or feelings inside us...so really when we want money, aren't we after the positive emotions we associate with money? Money is just paper that we assign a value to.

And if I'm getting really philosophical here...if you go online and check your bank balance, and it says $1200...do you actually physically HAVE $1200? No, it exists as a concept. You don't actually physically have those dollar bills in your posession. You have a concept of $1200. In fact, your bank or financial institution doesn't even HAVE the money. Okay, it has a finite number of dollar bills, in specific denominations, in a vault in the back. But it doesn't physically house all the dollar bills that correspond to each account holder's account balance. Money is a concept that we assign meaning to.

Does this sound crazy?

[dinc]

My reason for wanting to be rich -
Having the freedom to express myself in any way I desire. I really want to produce and direct a music video that means alot to me, but I would need tons of money to do this. I would also love to create businesses that aren't run by corporate super powers, but solely by the employees, and they get all of the profit...but I get freebies!

My reason for wanting to be good with people -
I, like every human being, wants to be loved. How can that happen if I can't talk to people?

My reason for wanting to walk 800 miles to a different state -
It would be one of the main events of my childhood, and something that would give me true appreciation for nature and willpower.