Wazo la kuwa na malengo madhubuti na yanayoweza kufikiwa linaonekana kukita mizizi katika utamaduni wetu. Najua niliishi na malengo kwa miaka mingi, na kwa kweli sehemu kubwa ya maandishi yangu hapa Zen Habits ni kuhusu jinsi ya kuweka na kufikia malengo.
Siku hizi, hata hivyo, ninaishi bila malengo, kwa sehemu kubwa. Ni ukombozi kabisa, na kinyume na vile unavyoweza kuwa umefundishwa, haimaanishi kabisa kuacha kufikia mambo.
Ina maana unaacha kujiruhusu kuwa mdogo na malengo.
Fikiria imani hii ya kawaida: “Huwezi kufika popote isipokuwa unajua unakoenda.” Hii inaonekana kuwa ya kawaida sana, na bado sio kweli ikiwa utaacha kufikiria juu yake. Fanya jaribio rahisi: nenda nje na utembee katika mwelekeo usio na mpangilio, na ujisikie huru kubadilisha maelekezo bila mpangilio. Baada ya dakika 20, saa moja ... utakuwa mahali fulani! Ni kwamba hukujua kwamba utaishia hapo.
Na kuna kusugua: lazima ufungue akili yako kwenda mahali ambapo hukutarajia kwenda. Ikiwa unaishi bila malengo, utagundua eneo jipya. Utajifunza mambo usiyotarajia. Utaishia katika maeneo ya kushangaza. Huo ndio uzuri wa falsafa hii, lakini pia ni mpito mgumu.
Leo, ninaishi zaidi bila malengo. Sasa na kisha naanza kuja na lengo, lakini ninawaacha waende. Kuishi bila malengo haijawahi kuwa lengo langu halisi ... ni jambo ambalo ninajifunza ambalo ninafurahia zaidi, ambalo ni uhuru wa ajabu, ambalo hufanya kazi na mtindo wa maisha wa kufuata shauku yangu ambayo nimeanzisha.
Tatizo la malengo
Hapo awali, ningeweka lengo au matatu kwa mwaka, na kisha malengo madogo kwa kila mwezi. Kisha ningejua ni hatua gani za kuchukua kila wiki na kila siku, na kujaribu kuelekeza siku yangu kwenye hatua hizo.
Kwa bahati mbaya, haijawahi kufanya kazi hii kwa uzuri. Nyote mnajua hili. Unajua unahitaji kufanyia kazi hatua, na unajaribu kuweka lengo la mwisho akilini ili kujihamasisha. Lakini hatua hii ya hatua inaweza kuwa kitu ambacho unaogopa, na kwa hivyo unaahirisha. Unafanya kazi nyingine, au unaangalia barua pepe au Facebook, au unatoka.
Na kwa hivyo malengo yako ya kila wiki na malengo ya kila mwezi yanarudishwa nyuma au kufuatiliwa, na unakatishwa tamaa kwa sababu huna nidhamu. Na malengo ni magumu sana kuyafikia. Basi nini sasa? Naam, unakagua malengo yako na kuyaweka upya. Unaunda seti mpya ya malengo madogo na mipango ya utekelezaji. Unajua unakoenda, kwa sababu una malengo!
Bila shaka, hutaishia kufika huko. Wakati mwingine unafikia lengo na kisha unahisi kushangaza. Lakini mara nyingi huyafanikii na unajilaumu wewe mwenyewe.
Hapa kuna siri: shida sio wewe, ni mfumo! Malengo kama mfumo yamewekwa kwa kushindwa.
Hata unapofanya mambo kwa usahihi, sio bora. Hii ndiyo sababu: wewe ni mdogo sana katika matendo yako. Unapokuwa hujisikii kufanya jambo fulani, lazima ujilazimishe kulifanya. Njia yako imechaguliwa, kwa hivyo huna nafasi ya kuchunguza eneo jipya. Lazima ufuate mpango, hata wakati una shauku juu ya kitu kingine.
Baadhi ya mifumo ya malengo ni rahisi kunyumbulika, lakini hakuna kitu kinachonyumbulika kama kutokuwa na malengo.
Jinsi inavyofanya kazi
Kwa hivyo maisha bila malengo yanaonekanaje? Kwa mazoezi, ni tofauti sana na mtu aliye na malengo.
Huweki lengo la mwaka, wala la mwezi, wala la wiki au siku. Hushughulikii kufuatilia, au hatua zinazoweza kuchukuliwa. Huhitaji hata orodha ya mambo ya kufanya, ingawa haidhuru kuandika vikumbusho ukipenda.
Unafanya nini basi? Kulala juu ya kitanda siku nzima, kulala na kuangalia TV na kula Ho-Hos? Hapana, unafanya tu. Unapata kitu ambacho unakipenda sana, na ukifanye. Kwa sababu tu huna malengo haimaanishi hufanyi chochote - unaweza kuunda, unaweza kuzalisha, unaweza kufuata shauku yako.
Na katika mazoezi, hii ni jambo la ajabu: unaamka na kufanya kile unachopenda. Kwangu mimi, hiyo ni kublogi, lakini inaweza kuwa kuandika riwaya au kitabu pepe au kitabu changu kijacho au kuunda kozi ya kusaidia wengine au kuungana na watu wa ajabu au kutumia wakati na mke wangu au kucheza na watoto wangu. Hakuna kikomo, kwa sababu niko huru.
Mwishowe, kwa kawaida mimi huishia kufikia zaidi ya kama ningekuwa na malengo, kwa sababu huwa nafanya jambo ambalo ninalifurahia. Lakini ikiwa nitafaulu au la sio jambo la maana hata kidogo: jambo muhimu ni kwamba ninafanya kile ninachopenda, kila wakati.
Mimi kuishia katika maeneo ambayo ni ya ajabu, ya kushangaza, kubwa. Sikujua tu ningefika pale nilipoanza.
Maswali ya haraka
Swali kutoka kwa msomaji: Je, kutokuwa na malengo sio lengo?
Jibu la haraka: Linaweza kuwa lengo, au unaweza kujifunza kulifanya ukiwa safarini, kwa kuchunguza mbinu mpya. Mimi hujifunza mambo mapya kila wakati (kama kutokuwa na malengo) bila kujipanga kuyajifunza hapo awali.
Swali lingine kutoka kwa msomaji: Kwa hivyo unafanyaje riziki?
Jibu: Kwa shauku! Tena, kutokuwa na malengo haimaanishi uache kufanya mambo. Kwa kweli, mimi hufanya mambo mengi kila wakati, lakini ninayafanya kwa sababu ninapenda kufanya.
Vidokezo vya kuishi bila malengo
Sitakupa mwongozo wa jinsi ya kuishi bila malengo - huo utakuwa upuuzi. Siwezi kukufundisha la kufanya - unahitaji kutafuta njia yako mwenyewe.
Lakini ninaweza kushiriki baadhi ya mambo ambayo nimejifunza, kwa matumaini kwamba yatakusaidia:
- Anza kidogo. Huna haja ya kubadilisha sana maisha yako ili kujifunza kuishi bila malengo. Nenda tu kwa saa chache bila malengo au vitendo vilivyopangwa mapema. Fuata shauku yako kwa saa hizo. Hata saa moja itafanya.
- Kuza. Unapoboreka katika hili, anza kujiruhusu kuwa huru kwa muda mrefu zaidi - nusu siku au siku nzima au siku kadhaa. Hatimaye utajiamini vya kutosha kuacha malengo fulani na kufanya kile unachopenda.
- Sio kazi tu. Kuacha malengo hufanya kazi katika eneo lolote la maisha yako. Chukua afya na utimamu wa mwili: Nilikuwa na malengo mahususi ya siha, kuanzia kupunguza uzito au unene wa mwili hadi kukimbia marathon hadi kuongeza kuchuchumaa kwangu. Sio tena: sasa ninaifanya kwa sababu ninaipenda, na sijui ni wapi itanipeleka. Inafanya kazi kwa uzuri, kwa sababu mimi hujifurahisha kila wakati.
- Achana na mipango. Mipango sio tofauti kabisa na malengo. Wanakuweka kwenye njia iliyo pangwa. Lakini ni vigumu sana kuachana na mipango, hasa ikiwa wewe ni mpangaji makini kama mimi. Kwa hivyo jiruhusu kupanga, unapohisi unahitaji, lakini polepole jisikie huru kuacha tabia hii.
- Usijali kuhusu makosa. Ukianza kuweka malengo, ni sawa. Hakuna makosa katika safari hii — ni tukio la kujifunza tu. Ukiishi bila malengo na ukaishia kufeli, jiulize ni kufeli kweli. Unashindwa tu ikiwa hautafika ulipotaka kwenda - lakini ikiwa huna lengo akilini, hakuna kushindwa.
- Yote ni nzuri. Haijalishi ni njia gani unayopata, haijalishi unaishia wapi, ni nzuri. Hakuna njia mbaya, hakuna marudio mabaya. Ni tofauti tu, na tofauti ni ya ajabu. Usihukumu, lakini uzoefu.
Na hatimaye
Kumbuka kila wakati: safari ni yote. Marudio ni kando ya uhakika.
'Msafiri mzuri hana mipango maalum, na hana nia ya kuwasili.' ~Lao Tzu
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As John Lennon once said in a song, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."
Set goals but do not let them abandon you. Approach one goal at a time then take some time off, start from the smallest goal then go to the next one and so on. Appreciate the time having goals and enjoy the time without goals.
We can't just let the goals all the time, in life there are some critical seconds which we need to plane and set goals. The thing is we need to have a balance between our focus and our vision. Focus on the goals you have set and have the broad vision of all aspects to make you feel happy and stay relaxed.
Interesting! And well written! Live purposefully and allow purpose to manifest and in giving free time to explore adds to this journey. This article raises great point that if we are boggged down by mindful presets then we can not truly acheive the path of our own successes. Do what you love and you'll love what you are doing! And at a point if this does seem unattainable.. ask why and how and when can it occur. Dont give up or in!
To me, goals and planning are a means to an end and that feels limiting , "in the box" so to speak. For me, that is contrary to being in the "NOW". My heaven is definitely in the journey!
Wonderfull article. I discovered few years ago this way of life, without knowing it, by visiting London alone. And this allows me to discover some superbe hidden area of the city and also to meet very intersting people. It was the best city treap of my life. And now after reading the article and what I know, I understand what makes the difference. I can understand that: letting go your goals, observing by feeling your sensations, make it easy to connect to the intelligence of the universe. And this allows you to be in the right place at the right time.
I have been at the receiving end of life from the last 3-4 years. I dont know what I like, what I want to do and where I want to reach. I have been working with myself. At one end I am okay with having no predetermined goals in life, but on the other end it becomes too much to handle psychologically. I feel I am lost. At 38 years of age, it feels that I have done or achieved anything.
But slowly I am also becoming clear that there can be life beyond goals, objectives and plans. And many a times I work and live without a goal. And I do "what I want to do" rather than "What I have to do" and even if it is only an hour it gives immense pleasure. It gives me pleasure as I feel I grew to the next maturity level in that one hour.
Thanks for writing on this and I would like to continue this dialogue with you.
Leo, you remind
me of Carl Whittaker who said his theory of how to do therapy is to have no
theory at all. Well, that's a theory. I do see your goal is to have no goals. I
think that's better than having goals in the way you describe. You give a great
description of goal setting can be so frustrating. The problem isn't goals,
it's attachment to goals. Attachment causes suffering. So make all the goals
you want, even a goal of having no goals, just don't attach any feelings of self-worth
or happiness to them. How's that for a goal?
Eddie Reece,
MS, LPC
Leo, you remind
me of Carl Whittaker who said his theory of how to do therapy is to have no
theory at all. Well, that's a theory. I do see your goal is to have no goals. I
think that's better than having goals in the way you describe. You give a great
description of goal setting can be so frustrating. The problem isn't goals,
it's attachment to goals. Attachment causes suffering. So make all the goals
you want, even a goal of having no goals, just don't attach any feelings of self-worth
or happiness to them. How's that for a goal?
Eddie Reece,
MS, LPC
People should not blame Daily Good for posting this article. That's life! Life is about discovery and invention of now things; life styles, methods of dealing with problems, etc.
They did good to present that for public consumption, giving a free platform for people like me to comprehend and either take or reject. To me, i have a multitude of lessons i have tapped from the article and it will go along way to informing my decisions and the way i do things.
Never make life a monotony, it will in the end bore you. You will hate yourself, the people around you and the things that you use.
Thanks Daily Good for always being good!
Thanks for the article, the tutorial- You have taught me a new and workable channel of life. Ahmed
I just left a relationship because the guy couldn't plan ahead - or make a best guess - about our relationship in the future. He wanted to keep coasting along (his words), not living together, not making any commitment to each other. We're in our mid-50s. He was enthusiastic about our relationship day-to-day, and enjoying our times together, as Babauta recommends doing.....but when it comes to making a life with another person, it isn't as if two houses are going to tiptoe during the night until they are united in commitment bliss. You can't move in together accidentally, or on one day when you both happen to realize - "Hey, yay, I suddenly find joy in planning a lifetime together with you! Oh really? Me too, so let's do that today. But tomorrow, well, maybe not. Depends on what I feel like doing." One has to make a decision, one has to make a plan. Planning on being with a special someone for the rest of your life is more of a lifetime guarantee than not making such plans.
[Hide Full Comment]I just left a relationship because the guy couldn't plan ahead - or make a best guess - about our relationship in the future. He wanted to keep coasting along (his words), not living together, not making any commitment to each other. We're in our mid-50s. He was enthusiastic about our relationship day-to-day, and enjoying our times together, as Babauta recommends doing.....but when it comes to making a life with another person, it isn't as if two houses are going to tiptoe during the night until they are united in commitment bliss. You can't move in together accidentally, or on one day when you both happen to realize - Hey, yay, I suddenly find joy in planning a lifetime together with you! Oh really? Me too, so let's do that today. But tomorrow, well, maybe not. Depends on what I feel like doing. One has to make a decision, one has to make a plan. Planning on being with a special someone for the rest of your life is more of a lifetime guarantee than not making such plans.
[Hide Full Comment]Pure rubbish. And yes, not wanting to have no goals is a goal, plain and simple. This reflects the life od an individual who has no ambition and will see success in anything to justify their behaviours. I'm surprised and even more disppointed this article was actually published by Daily Good.
Most of us are focused on the attainment of our goals, in a
vain attempt to fill our existential vacuum and our moods tend to be
determined by our apparent successes and failures. We strive for money to exist and end up doing
jobs we don’t like, for too long a time and end up losing our connection with
our spiritual nature. We worry too much and
spend a lot of our time thinking of ways to escape our monotony; we fill our
heads with thoughts and deny our feelings, especially the ones that inform us
of the emptiness within. We become human
doings and work harder and longer, to fill our emptiness, with all sorts of
palliatives, but at the same time our dissatisfaction grows and our anxiety
increases.
Goals demand that we stay focused on the future, which will
[Hide Full Comment]keep us from actually enjoying the fruits of our labours, and can become
missions of false hope, in difficult times.
The reality of goal planning is that it won’t go to plan and the harder
we try to force our ideas onto the world and control it, the more resistance we
will face, and the more unhappy we will become.
We need to recognise that most of our goals manifest from our Ego’s need
to be powerful, and the achievement of these goals, is not always dependent on
our planning, resourcefulness and management skills, but on our ability to
adapt to life changes. Goals are a
construction of the mind, which is of a dual nature, so to gain something we
have to lose something else; wholeness manifests when we are able to let go of
all goals and just be with what is, and this is spiritual mastery. - The art of Being Human - John Anderson
The idea of a goal is a desired destination... so is living passionately. They are mutual if indeed they are yours and not someone elses.
Quite wonderful. This could be a life changer. Thank you so much. Nick
I actually combine having goals with doing what I feel like. Many people consider the goal setting process to be tyrannical the way you describe. Perhaps it's better said this way, I have big visions of what I want to create, and what I want my life to be like. And as much as possible I only ever do what I feel like. There is a sense of alignment in that - I am aligned with the flow of life. I have lists, but if I don't feel like doing something I put it on the bottom and eventually it falls off the list.
Now I should say that it took me years to get my work life to a place where I can actually get away with doing that - but it's also the secret of my success. I have two people working for me, part time, doing stuff I don't like but they do. I work for myself at home - not even my husband knows how little I work some days. (When I'm not working, I'm usually dreaming about my vision).
And sometimes I just have to haul myself by the butt and do things I don't wanna do but are necessary for my dreams.
And I have a huge amount of focus and discipline because I'm working on my dream, that helps.
[Hide Full Comment]Very Nice. Great Article. But it is difficult in routine life when you have so much responsibility on yourself, that you do only what you are passionate about. Anyway Thanks for a thought provoking article. :-) Cheers.