Goal Setting is not efficient

[justfiverules]

Valis,

You might say that they are following "The Path of Least Resistance".
This is the title of a classic book by Robert Fritz.

The Sub-title is "Learning To Become The Creative Force In Your Own Life".

If people were choosing to, in Fritz's words, really be the creative force in their own lives and make use of the resulting "structural tension", the importance of goal setting would be relegated to that of planning and implementation stages, rather than be seen as the holy grail of success tools.

The actor Will Smith is probably a good example of someone who constructively leverages structural tension. At least from what i know of his public persona.

Great thread post, Xin!

[David365]

Originally Posted by valis

Just out of curiosity, how WOULD you define someone who didn't set goals for themselves, instead choosing to live life 'by the moment', as it were?

Short answer is I can't, but can best illustrate my using myself as an example. I'm nearly 50, quite content in my current employment. Since I qualified as an occupational therapist in 1987 I'm now in my 8th job. By taking certain directions I've gradually narrowed my options, but I've never set clear goals.

Using the common argument in favour of goals, that without its like asking a bus driver for a ticket to anywhere, you could argue I have jumped on buses that have passed by that happened to be going in an interesting direction! Certainly when I saw my current job advertised I hadn't been actively looking for anything new.

Most people I know are similar. It could be we are drifting, but within a structure imposed by our professional qualifications?! We enjoy what we are doing, when we don't we start looking elsewhere. This I feel is still different to having defined goals.

I'm sure their are people at the top of my profession who set goals of becoming what they are - I'm glad I didn't because its not something I would enjoy.

Personal Development for me largely revolves around acquiring skills - communication, confidence, problem solving, etc - that help you do what you do better. Finding what you do best, your passion, is also a big part of successful personal development.

I'm beginning to ramble and I'm not sure this makes total sense, but its been a long day.....

[Mark Lapierre]

I think you're talking about the same thing, David and valis. Well, you seem to be if the perspective is the larger one, the one that deals with values and principles, e.g., raising your kids right, experiencing what the world has to offer, becoming the best person you can be, taking that surprise job which is better than your current one.

These are goals. If you make the decision to improve yourself, right there you've set a goal.

I suspect the difference of opinion is in how those goals are achieved. An engineer would be happier with discrete and concrete steps, whereas a generalist would be happier looking at the goal as a direction to head towards, rather than a specific path to take.

I'm pretty sure both set goals, because you'd both know what you're ultimately trying to do, and you'd both know when you've accomplished something you set out to do, even if for one it was "whatever makes me happy"

[valis]

Originally Posted by Mark Lapierre

These are goals. If you make the decision to improve yourself, right there you've set a goal.

bingo.

Originally Posted by Mark Lapierre

I suspect the difference of opinion is in how those goals are achieved. An engineer would be happier with discrete and concrete steps, whereas a generalist would be happier looking at the goal as a direction to head towards, rather than a specific path to take.

and give the man a kewpie doll. spot on on both, I would say.