Growing up, failure was not an option is my household. I knew by age 5, I would be attending college. Even though I had no idea what college was. My motto growing up was "You do not win second place, you lose first." So you can see how setting goals was a part of my upbringing.
Setting goals can be limiting. It closes doors and the unexpected in life. I decided to live without goals, at least for the most part. I know a lot of people would disagree with me, they would say that goals is what allows us to achieve things. I would say that goals can limit possibilities one never thought of before.
I finally realize that a lack of goal is not a lack of achievement. A lack of goals is the ability to allow life to unfold in front of me. It is to allow the unexpected to be an enjoyable surprise.
I was so concerned because I achieved all my goals that I didn't know what to do with myself. The answer was right in front of me the whole time: live life, allow the unexpected, explore new territories, and enjoy the ride.
34 comments:
LOVE LOVE LOVE this artwork! And I tend to agree with you on the goal setting. Have missed your wisdom! Oh and thanks for your sweet comment.
Ana my goal even as a child was just to be happy.Since I am happy did I achieve that goal? Or am I still searching for a different happy or more happy. A mystery I hope to never solve. Love the art beautiful colours and style:) B
Well I had never thought of it that way. How refreshing! You have such a unique perspective on life and I must say yhe colour in your art work is as bright as gemstones. Just wonderful!
I heartily agree with"enjoy the ride".
The shades of pinks in this painting are striking! I love this.
we're on the same theme today - pink butterflies :D
I love the art, and love the sentiment. I think it is one of the hardest things to do ... live life in the moment, be happy with today .... seems easy enough, but it means stop always thinking about what comes next and enjoy the now.
Love the artwork! So beautiful! I totally agree with you, sometimes you just have to live freely and let things happen. Sometimes things go according to plan, but a lot of times the best things happen that you didn't plan or expect. I like this philosophy!
Your butterfly is amazing...those colors...!!! Might I add "ommmm" to your post? hahaha
Live life, enjoy the ride -- how very, very true. You might like this poem here: http://bikbikroro.blogspot.sg/2010/12/rejoice.html Beautiful colours today; I love the lines in your flower :)
Ana, you are so right. In my family too, coming second in class was almost like a sin. it was not an option. But strangely/thankfully, I never came second. But there was this enormous pressure to be first all the time. Even if I was first, every time, I was not happy because of the next pressure. It went on like this till I started my Ph.D Then, one day, I gave it up all for an alternative lifestyle {that you know and I blog about}, made the society/my parents upset but I was finally free.
Very wise. I have both lived with goals and lived without goals in my life -- it depends on what area of my life it was.
I never thought of goals that way- your posts always get me thinking from a new perspective, which I appreciate very much. Now I won't feel so aimless in life!
Yes, enjoy the whole ride!
Very wise indeed, and beautiful colours in your artwork!
No one ever set any goals for me, I only ever had self-imposed goals. Parents want only the best for their child so I believe a sense of direction is a good thing, something to aim for, I had none and was left floundering a little. Competing is another thing, something with a big question mark over for me! We all have our unique gifts, we all shine at something, no need to compete it will naturally rise to the surface as is evidenced here by your beautiful artwork. x
I think I've always had goals but in a very relaxed way. Maybe I would have achieved more if I had been less relaxed! Other people imposed quite high academic expectations on me,but that didn't really bother me because I knew that I would end up doing what I wanted to do regardless of their expectations. I love this artwork - please tell me you haven't sold it! If you haven't I'd like to buy it please. Just looking at your art brightens my day and makes me smile. I'd love a piece like this for my home.
I love your philosophy, Ana. Enjoy the ride while you're here.
And your artwork, as always, is so lovely.
Hi Ana! Thank you for commenting on my weblog! I really appreciate it and I'm very glad to have found yours. It looks really interesting, the things you write about really interest me. I'm sure I'll come back more often.
On the money-thing; I'm not very sure about the fact wether it should be as necessary as it is now.. I hope we can somehow reverse the importance of money. By giving more things for free to eachother, sharing, we can make our lives more love-based than money-based. Or at least, in my mind it is possible.
That's what I do.
Well said Ana, well said. Just live the moment. xo
I love your thoughts...I wish I was better at allowing life to simply unfold. It's hard for me to relinquish control, but the truth is, I have no control! :)
Your artwork is so beautiful...!
your painting is amazing!! love the colors! i am loving your motto: live life, allow the unexpected, explore new territories and enjoy the ride. i am probably blurring goals and expectations, but, either way, i have learned to keep those open- because you never know. i have learned that life seems to never go as i have planned, so just go with the flow. it is all good.
perfect wisdom surrounded by your gorgeous beauty!
goals choke me. it's frustrating when they don't happen according to plan. i find that it's much better to live and yet let life unfold all by itself. so yes, i definitely agree with you.
beautiful artwork, ana. <3 :-)
beautiful painting as always Ana. Love today's post There's so much to think about it.
I agree with enjoy the ride and live in the moment ... fear gets in my way, but at least now I'm aware of my feelings and try to let go of the fear and just be. Thanks for such a wonderful post and love the painting.
Love Always!
I love your painting, just gorgeous. It makes me happy, Ana. Goals...I was brought up to be hard on myself and I am. I am very goal oriented. At least now I learned how to make relaxation and peacefulness and some Happy, some of my many goals...!
I was never a goal setter myself. :) It makes it much more fun and less stress. Don't you think? :)) Love your butterflies!
Beautiful art, the colors are like a vitamin injection! :-)
love to you in your unfolding
(+ such a pretty unfolding in your painting!)
I've never thought of it that way. I love the idea of just living my life.
This artwork is beautiful.
Oh my.....first of all your art today is magnificent.....and secondly....you are so very insightful about goals!!
I really like this post.
xo
Jo
I love how vibrant the colors are! so lovely!
Wow I love your viewpoint! Your artwork is so vivid and expresses your style to live and embrace life I'm so glad I found you blog! And my dogs love your dogs:) hugs! Michelle w
Beautiful post. Beautiful butterflies. I feel as though to understand a life without goals, one must live a life with them which is what you mentioned in your post. We can be both caterpillars or butterflies and it's apparent to me that you've chosen to fly. xoxo!
Great post, I teach educative planning at university, so I shouldn´t say that goals are not important (even when in this subject goals are consequence of a diagnoses so they are deeply related to need and wishes of the target population).
But if we talk about living (and not about a technical process) I would say that goals are not so important.
I think is better to have intentions and develop them according to life circumstances, this mean that we can set very specific goals depending on both them -intentions and circumstances- instead of setting very complex goals that can frustrate other meaningful achievements because they are not connected to what we deeply feel, want and need
If we let life unfold freely we will have more chances to obtain that what we need to evolve and grow
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