Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Goal-Free Living

Is "goal" really a four-letter word? Goal-Free Living is a new book that seems to think so:
"We are taught from a young age that in order to achieve great success we must set and achieve our goals. However in doing so, we become focused on where we are going rather than enjoying where we are right now. We sacrifice today in the hope that a better future will emerge, only to discover that achievement rarely leads to true joy."
The premise of the book seems really muddled to me -- so having a direction and pursuing experiences you're passionate about is a better recipe for happiness, but goals will lead you astray? The different types of goals are nearly infinite, with some of them being very focused and measurable and others quite nebulous or general. I haven't read the book yet, so I won't quibble, but Tom Peters seemed a bit confused too when he interviewed the author.

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