Goal!

Terrica's report in Happiness 101 today had us all-- or me, anyway-- thinking about the difference between purposes and goals. I was reminded of a little book with a startling title I read years ago, Living Without a Goal by James Ogilvy. It's not been digitized by Google (so you'll have to hunt it up at the library or the bookstore), but here's a useful review.

Goals can actually hinder our development. When we focus on a goal, we are presuming that we can accurately judge our best interests in the future based on the limited knowledge and understanding we have in the present. This leaves us little room to evolve laterally or to take advantage of opportunities that are outside the range of our goal-directed vision.

The fixed nature of goals also forces us to make our future skills and insights conform to an understanding of life that may no longer be valid or effective. We end up trying to force new ideas and insights into a shape that conforms to our old worldview so that they will fit our goal. Again, this has a narrowing effect on our thinking and our options.

Finally, goals can also function almost like a drug, an escape from an uncomfortable or painful situation. By focusing on a future goal, we can justify tolerating a present situation that we do not like. This allows us to justify inaction and indecision.

That said, I still favor goal-setting and -seeking, as well as (not in lieu of) rose-smelling. Destinations do motivate journeys, but "the nectar's in the journey" still.

Stephanie gets the Audacity Award for ditching her prepared remarks in favor of a challenge to us all to name, right there in front of everybody, something that makes us happy. Nobody was stumped for an answer, not even our token grump. I counted it a "blessing."

And for a grump, Eric sure found us an inspiring, life-affirming, happy-making video: