The Challenge is Now

In life, we tend to focus on future goals -- things that are hopefully going to happen tomorrow, or next year, or maybe even a decade after that.

What many people don't realize, is that an obsession -- and yes, it is an obsession -- with future-oriented goals is, in essence, a tactic that the mind uses to avoid the present. It's a diversion. Yes, it's sometimes a nice diversion -- thinking about that vacation three months from now may be a pleasant thing to think about -- but it's still a diversion nonetheless.

This is actually one of the BIG problems with "goal setting." There is, of course, nothing wrong with setting goals. In fact, it's easy to agree that goals are very important and quite beneficial -- why not? If becoming healthier is a goal, improving the quality of what you do is a goal, finding a better job...whatever. These are all good goals.

But when these goals start to become diversions, then it becomes a problem -- because it's not about the goals anymore. It's about the diversion.

Goals that pull you out of the present moment -- and obsessively drag you -- are not actually helpful. Rather, they numb you against reality -- which is, possibly, a short-term strategy but hardly a healthy way to live an entire life.

Are you replacing reality with "goals"?

Be careful -- because if you do that, then rest assured: you'll never achieve your goals. As soon as you come near one, a new goal will emerge -- because, again, it's not about the goal -- it's about diverting you from the present moment.

It's about keeping you away from yourself -- which is what you want (regardless of what the advertisers tell you :)