Are Goals Necessary?
As 2009 came to a close, the familiar excitement of the New Year started to well up. It’s always enjoyable to consider the myriad possibilities offered by a clean calendar slate as we plan an ambitious slew of new resolutions and goals.
However, by the time the ball dropped in Times Square, I still hadn’t taken the time to ponder, plan and write down my dreams and desires for 2010.
“Zen Garden” Photo ©2010 Nikolas Allen
I had been sick with the flu for a couple weeks, so that was partially to blame for sapping my energy and enthusiasm. But there seemed to be more to it.
I was feeling a bit of a crisis of faith. Faith in my own ability to alter the outcomes and events of my life, no matter how much I plan, strive and visualize.
“Zen Pond” Photo ©2010 Nikolas Allen
When I moved to California eighteen months ago I had plenty of Big Plans. Since then, I’ve been on one big, crazy, challenging, unpredictable, exciting ride.
But for most of it I have felt more like the passenger than the driver. And along the way, those Big Plans were squashed dead like unsuspecting bugs on the windshield of Life.
Sure, there have been several other positive events and successes along the way to replace the dead bugs. But, when I think about it, they seem to have been a result of my taking decisive action when the opportunities presented themselves, rather than me plotting and planning far in advance.
As for the failures and disappointments? Well, those obviously happened despite my best efforts at planning and goal-setting.
“Diversity” Photo ©2010 Nikolas Allen
I wanted to write a blog post on Setting Goals to kick off the New Year, but I couldn’t even muster the enthusiasm to ideate my own goals. Therefore, how – in good conscience – could I advise my readers to do it for themselves?
Then I started reading the newsletters, blog posts and RSS feeds from the people I follow. Most of them were writing about setting goals, visualizing the year ahead, planning strategies for success, yada, yada, yada…
They all started to sound the same. Perhaps I was feeling bitter ‘cuz I never got around to my own setting, visualizing and planning. Perhaps I was starting to realize that my Goal Sheets look the same every year and I was beginning to question their validity.
Cuz’, let’s face it, no matter how many times I’ve listed that “white Toyota RAV4 L Sport Edition”, it STILL hasn’t shown up in my driveway.
On the other hand, the “New Relationship with Sassy Female Artist in my Age Bracket with Similar Interests and Values”?
Waaay better than a RAV4.
She showed up in October. Out of the blue, when I least expected.
Had she been on my Wish List? Mos def.
Can I take credit for the realization of that goal? Well, aside from being a superdope rockstar artist with mad steeze, not really.
It was merely a matter of right place, right time. Perhaps that’s when the RAV4 will show up, too.
In fact, perhaps that’s when ALL my goals and dreams will be realized. Exactly when they are meant to be. Regardless of my goal setting, list making, visualizing, chasing, scheming and striving.
Maybe my belated New Year’s resolution will be this: Aspire to be more like the heron.
“The heron knows a lucid stillness. It stands unmoving in the flow of the water for hours. When Tao brings it something that it needs, it seizes the opportunity without hesitation. Then it goes back to its serene, contemplative state.
Unless it found the right position in the water’s flow and remained patient, it would not have succeeded.
Actions in life can be reduced to two factors: positioning and timing. Almost anything is appropriate if an action is in accord with the time and the place. When life presents an opportunity, we must be ready to seize it without hesitation or inhibition.”
Deng Ming-Dao, 365 Tao – Daily Meditations
Not quite a heron but you get the picture.
I’m a pretty ambitious person, so it may be difficult to take a more mindful, zen-like approach to my goals this year.
I’m also pretty spontaneous, so I may wake up tomorrow, wonder what the heck I was thinkin’ when I wrote this post, then commence to some serious goal-settin’.
But, as long as I have the CHOICE and the POWER to make plans, to take action, to make decisions AND to change my mind at will along the way, I’ll be happy.
At least these things give me the illusion that I do have SOME control over the outcomes in my life. Even if I’m not in the driver’s seat, at least my arm can still reach the wheel from the passenger seat just in case the Big Guy needs a little help steering once in awhile.
[Zen Photos taken at the Japanese Gardens of Portland, Oregon. All photos ©2010 Nikolas Allen]
*****************************
YOUR TURN:
I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on making New Year’s resolutions (and their success rate) and the importance of setting goals as it applies to YOUR life.
Welcome to Nikolas Allen Art dot com. I am a Contemporary Pop Artist with a background in music, advertising and video production. 
Comments
Otto Streit is the king of New Year’s resolutions because he doesn’t feel the need to make any. I shall do the same. Carry on.
Trackbacks
Leave a Comment