What is a goal? (30min FREEWRITE)

What is a goal? And what everything can a person find about themselves when conducting a simple freewrite on this topic? Maybe some insights I came to could help others who feel the same way as I do

What is a goal? You could say it is similar to a dream, but is it the same? Definitely not! People create goals all the time, they make up dreams very rarely. That’s why dreams are more valuable to many than goals. Because goals are more short-term events. Dreams grab you, clench you and won’t let you go so easily. They take on years to get achieved, years of efforts, years of passion, sorrow, and love and frustration. Years of disappointment and years of hope. And since it is so hard to access them, they use scarcity to feel even more valuable. Scarcity in extra effort, and scarcity in unique birth conditions.

So why am I talking about dreams? It is clear dreams are not the same as goals. Well, I believe the path is two-sided. You need to achieve goals in order to get to your dream, but like-wise you need to get to your dream to understand your goals.

Goals feel like a moment in a life, it is a milestone that your head hurts from just thinking about it. It is fear, anxiety, the paralyzing fog of demanded commitment, it is not a pleasant journey, or at least, that’s how I use(d) to think of it. But we form goals for a higher purpose. Is this purpose a dream? Yes and no. The stronger your bond to your goal will be if the answer is yes.

 Goal is like your consciousness or reason, constantly trying to remind you and scolding you for what you should be doing, in comparison with what you are doing… Sometimes you want them to shut up. In general, wouldn’t we all be happier if we didn’t have goals? Why do we keep trying to achieve something? Would it really be so unbearable, so horrible if we did not? Would people really start to not value what they have because everything is perfect?

I understand we need goals, I understand we should improve. But because I cannot answer my questions about simple happiness from just time spent together with friends I decided not to think about it and just improve for the sake of improving. Maybe that is my goal… To try and fail, to slowly watch how the cursor walks backwards erasing all the written words, or how it provocatively blinks every few seconds reminding you ‘write something now! write something! you have been here for hours and no result yet! write something!’

The truth is, is not the blinking cursor provoking me to blame, it’s a goal. So what is a goal? and is goal a good thing?

(Well, let’s not get into the debate of good and bad…)

everything has better and worse uses, purposes, and side effects. Goal is no exception, it’s all about us how we can place their mission upon ourselves, so no, goals aren’t bad nor good, they are a tool. A tool to previously mentioned dream or higher purpose. A goal leads to another goal and so the journey can get quite tiring. But what the fudge is the goal I keep reminiscing and renting so much about? Think.

 

Goal, is a self-commitment. It is a promise to your own self, a word you set of to keep. A goal is the easiest way to let yourself down.

It is highly personal ritual, a message asking for improvement, for consistency and for time and love. It is an exciting clue, a hint, an easter-egg to your own life, it says so much about you and who you are as a person. Who you are as a worker, a family member, a friend… Goals define you; more than you stop to think. And that’s why you should love them and cherish them, caress them gently, cradle them in your arms and lap. You shouldn’t hate them, they are part of you! Even the unaccomplished ones!

But can you not hate yourself for failing such a pure, strong motion?

Is this the reason why we need goals? Because they are us? Is it possible to live without them? I highly doubt so. Even in the smallest amount of effort a person creates a goal, a goal to speak louder, a goal to come out of their bubble, a goal to discover a comfort zone, a goal to face their fears. A goal to learn how to cook for oneself, a goal to listen more than talk, a goal to persist, to endure and write stories even if there is no other clearer goal in mind. Because there is a dream, there is a purpose, there is a fuel, a passion or any other emotion that gives birth to this goal. And so as long as emotions exist, there will always exist goals.

 

Take a deep breath, breath out. Close your eyes and release tension. Goals are you and you love them. If there’s no way to get rid of them, try fulfilling them. And keep failing to succeed.

It is strange how you keep saying that you failed. When after all of this you are here, creating and writing once again…

No, you did not do this long time ago, but you are doing it now. That is the strength of the powerful long, old, aged emotion.

A dream feels cosier than goal. Because goal is a concrete milestone you need to reach. Dream is just a thought, a pleasant cloud in the sky that warms and surrounds you with the wildest joys. But goal is your friend, your tool. Accept it, even if you do not know yet where and how far it reaches.

Congrats on finishing this one small goal. Your time is up.

Author's Note

This was a freewrite of 30 minutes, I only came back to fix some words and spelling mistakes but feel free to leave feedback if you want :)
I only added it here because I thought maybe the outcomes of my wild thinking could help someone with similar attitude towards goals.