Rethinking Goal Setting: Breaking Free from Goal Obsession

Often heralded as the roadmap to success, traditional goal-setting methods can sometimes feel more like a straitjacket than a stepping stone. In our journey through entrepreneurship and personal growth, we've come to realize that rigid goals might not be the golden ticket they're often made out to be. Join us as we explore a more balanced and realistic approach to achieving success.

The Pitfalls of Traditional Goal Setting

In the world of starting and running your own business, people often talk a lot about setting goals. It's like everyone thinks it's the most important thing to do. But from what we've learned, making super strict goals might not always be the best idea. We've tried setting really big goals for selling things and giving ourselves tight deadlines to meet them. But guess what? Sometimes these goals made us feel not so great, especially when we couldn't reach them.

We've had times when we aimed too high and then felt bad when we couldn't get there. It's like making a promise to yourself and then not being able to keep it. That can make you feel like you're not doing a good job, even when you're working really hard. We realized that setting these big, unchanging goals can make you feel worse, not better.

The thing is, running your own business can be full of surprises. Goals that seemed good at first might not make sense later on. Sticking to these goals no matter what can actually make things harder. We learned that goals should be helpful, not something that makes you stressed or unhappy. They should be flexible and change if they need to.

So, now we think about goals in a different way. Instead of making them super strict and feeling bad if we don't meet them, we try to be more relaxed and kind to ourselves. Goals are important, but they shouldn't make you feel bad. It's better to have goals that can change as we learn and grow. That way, we can keep being happy and healthy while we work towards our dreams.

Our Personal Journey with Goal Setting

In our adventure of running a business, we've tried to reach really big goals. But here's what happened: our business goes up and down, just like a rollercoaster. Sometimes we do really well, and other times, not so much. Trying super hard to meet our big goals made us feel like we weren't doing a good job, even when we were working really hard. There was a time we even started to wonder if we were in the right job!

We learned that making these huge goals for ourselves was actually causing more problems than helping. It's like we were fighting against ourselves, and that wasn't good. We realized that it's better to be kind to ourselves and understand that it's okay if things don't always go as planned. Goals are good, but they shouldn't make us feel bad or doubt what we're doing. We learned it's important to be flexible and not too hard on ourselves. That way, we can enjoy our work and keep getting better without feeling bad.

The Shift to a More Flexible Approach

We started to realize that we needed to change how we do things. Instead of always trying to hit big goals, we decided to focus on doing little things every day. It's like choosing to read a bit each day or making sure we exercise regularly. This way, we're not always worrying about reaching some far-off goal that might not even make sense. Doing small things regularly helped us feel good about what we're doing and see how we're getting better, without feeling bad about not meeting big goals. It's like taking small steps every day to be better, instead of just looking at a big goal far away.

Discipline Over Goals

We found out that focusing on discipline is really helpful. It means making habits and routines that match what we think is important and what we want to achieve. But, unlike strict goals, there's no heavy pressure. Changing from just trying to hit goals to building good habits lets us grow in a way that feels natural and can last a long time. It's like planting a garden - instead of just hoping for big flowers right away, we take care of it a little bit every day. This way, we grow better and stronger over time, both in our personal lives and at work. It's not about rushing to a finish line; it's more about enjoying the journey and improving step by step.

Embracing Flexibility and Realism

We've really learned how important it is to be flexible. Life can surprise you, and so can running a business. If we focus too hard on certain goals, we might miss out on exciting new chances that come up. Things change all the time, especially in business, and if we're too set in our ways, we won't be able to keep up. Having a flexible mindset means we're ready to adapt to whatever comes our way. It's like being a tree that bends in the wind instead of breaking - we can move with the changes without losing our core strength. This flexibility lets us grow and succeed in the unpredictable world of business, where new ideas and trends are always popping up. It's not just about sticking to a plan; it's about being ready to change the plan when something better comes along.

Our Current Strategy

Now, our approach is more about setting realistic expectations and being open to adjustments along the way. We focus on what's within our control – our actions and responses. This mindset has not only reduced stress but also brought more enjoyment and satisfaction in our daily work.

In conclusion, while goal setting can be a valuable tool, it's not the only path to success. By focusing on disciplines and maintaining flexibility, we've found a more balanced and fulfilling way to navigate our entrepreneurial journey. We hope our insights inspire you to consider your own approach to goal setting and to find a strategy that truly works for you.

Remember, success is not just about reaching a destination; it's about the journey and how you grow along the way.