For huge numbers of people out there who have a desire to be successful in life and to achieve their potential, whatever that might mean in a particular situation, goal setting ends up taking centre stage as a practice that promises great reward.
Increasingly, however, there recently have been a lot of dissenting voices – such as that of James Clear, author of “Atomic Habits" – who argue that placing a lot of emphasis on goal setting not only frequently doesn't end up increasing the chances of success, but actually ends up being a major source of stress that moves our attention out of the present moment in an unhealthy manner.
With all sorts of great money making tips out there, and with all sorts of different ways of pursuing an exciting life, though, just how can you actually be a high achiever without emphasising goal setting?
Here are some suggestions.
Take steps to create the kind of everyday lifestyle that naturally "has impact"
When you stop and think about it for a moment, you’ll likely notice pretty quickly that certain ways of living, and certain kinds of pastimes, end up "having impact" in the sense of developing some aspect of your life, or helping to create opportunities in some way, whereas others simply don't.
That isn't to say that the lifestyles and pastimes in question have to be at all focused on making money, or on "productivity.”
In fact, pastimes like painting, drawing, jogging, gardening, and even things like spending time chatting to your loved ones, can all have a significant impact in various ways – by making you a better artist, by getting you in better shape, by increasing your awareness and sense of connection to the nature world, and by nurturing healthy relationships, among other things.
On the other hand, a lifestyle that revolves around activities like obsessively playing video games and surfing the web can end up consuming all of your time without advancing your life, or improving it, in any way, even though it may feel fun in the moment.
Creating the kind of lifestyle that naturally ends up having some weight can be very powerful.
Emphasise the importance of taking action, and putting yourself in new situations
One of the most powerful ways of becoming a high achiever, is to simply emphasise the importance of taking action in your life, in general.
While reflection and introspection certainly have their place, it’s when you put yourself out there, do new things, meet new people, and work to gain hands-on experience as opposed to theoretical understanding, that many of the most significant achievements in life are likely to happen.
And goal setting doesn't have to be front and centre for this at all.
Subtract things from your life that undermine a sense of meaning
If you find yourself in a state of inertia, and don't seem to be achieving what you want to in life, there may be features of your everyday life that are undermining and getting in the way of your sense of meaning.
Subtracting these things can help you to achieve more in life.
So, what sorts of things should you subtract?
An example could be as straightforward as excess clutter and unnecessary complexity in your home environment, that takes up mental energy and attention, and that doesn't let you focus on what's truly important to you.