Goal or Objective?

“don’t set a goal, have an objective with no limitations.” This is from the book Illogical by Emmanuel Acho. I had to sit back and read it again. I’ve always have goals. Finish this book before the weekend. Write 10,000 words before X. I thought goals were good. They kept me focused. I knew what I had to do. If the goals was big I broke them down into managable pieces. Goals were good.

Emmanuel doesn’t say goals are bad. He even says in certain situations we need goals. The book is about being illogical. Leaning into uncertainity. Stop weighing the pros and cons and just believe.

So if a goal is an end result. I have written 10,000 words. An objective is more open ended. I’m a writer hence I write. I don’t stop when I rearch the goal. The objective would be have a daily writing practice. There is no end result I am working to achieve and stop when I do.

Once I got my head around it made sense. Objectives are wider and more organic. They don’t have a set point or end result. My objective is to be a healthy, vibrant individual. No goal or end result. An objective is something that is ongoing and when I gather further information can change it. It is not a fixed point of so many words or chapters. Objectives can have no limitations.

Yes I can still have a goal of reading a few chapters a night but I can also have objectives. I don’t have to set limits or work towards an end result. Emmanuel Acho’s book says we don’t have to set limitations. Set objectives that can be limitless.

You can always start now!