Is it bad not to have any goals in life?

@Rosy001 (363)
South Africa
December 13, 2006 7:32am CST
Do you feel bad somewhat intimidated by people just bcos you dont have any real goals or real goals in the eyes of others? from my schooling days i've never really wanted to do much well much in the sense of never had any true solid ambitions. yes i've wanted to travel, want to learn foreign languages, wanted to just enjoy life. but never, i need to go to varsity or become a doctor etcetera etcetera....it's always jsut a go slow with me..... i go with the flow, my own flow. there are times though that i actually feel hopeless at times and somewhat inferior cos i am goalless.....maybe im just insecure, who knows. anyone else who doesnt really have much solid goals for life?
8 people like this
57 responses
• United States
14 Dec 06
Real goals? What does that mean? Any goal is a real goal. It doesn't matter if you goal is to not have goals, still a goal. People actually like making others feel inferior, it makes them feel superior...they mostly don't know they are doing it, or think they are motivating another person, but it all comes down to one thing. The need to feel better about themselves. Your saying you go with the flow reminds me of a story I heard. Three men meeting years after attending school together. First man brags, I have just about reach my goal. I have three doctrates, two houses, and a dozen cars. I am married to my fourth wife and support a total of 7 children. The second man bragged. I too have almost reached my goal. I have learned 7 languages. Have two Masters degrees and four Bachelor degrees. I have three apartments, two condos and am negoiating for a penthouse suite. I am divorced my third wife and am dating five lovely girls. I don't want kids. The third and final man didn't say a word...he just stood there looking at them thinking. Finally he began to speak. He said. I am so happy for both of you. To be so near your goals in life must be fine indeed. I have not done as well as you my friends. I only attended school until the three of us graduated together. I have held the same job since I got out of the Army. I am married to the girl I was dating back in highschool. I have two kids. I owe the bank for my one house. I drive an old beat up pickup that needs fixing every week. They began to tell him how sorry they felt for him but he interupted with these words. You see my friends. I go with the flow. I love my wife, my house is our home, the pickup belonged to my father. One of my kids sings and plays any instrument he picks up the other paints and draws lovely things. My goal however is still a long way off. They stood wondering what this goal could possibly be and how with all the things they saw as disadvantages he could hope to attain it. The third man began speaking again. You see I figure as long as I go with the flow, there will always be enough to eat, a roof over our heads, and the pickup can be fixed again. My goal as I said is still a long way off god willing...and that is for the lovely girl who is now a woman, the woman who so often stands at my side will continue to be there until I draw my last breath, or if she has to be the one to leave, she draws hers. sometimes it isn't so bad not to have those lofty goals and just go with the flow.
2 people like this
@Rosy001 (363)
• South Africa
14 Dec 06
that was very inspirational......makes one look at it differently. thanks!
@katcarneo (1433)
• Philippines
13 Dec 06
i think you do have goals---these are the things that you want to do. goals aren't just limited to future jobs. it can really be anything. i went to a period in high school when eveybody's talking about which college to go to and what course to take up and i was entirely clueless the whole time. that's because i wasn't rushing into decidingwhat i want simple because everybody else has. you are not a goalless person. you have short term goals and those are okay. maybe you're still in that deciding process of what you want to do with therest of your life. and it's good to think about that a lot so you wouldn't ahave any regrets later on. peace out.
@Rosy001 (363)
• South Africa
14 Dec 06
thanks for that!
@juls2me2 (2150)
• United States
14 Dec 06
Goals are just finding your Purpose in life. Find something that you can do that makes others and you happy and do it. Find your purpose and there....your goals will then be set. Don't let people make you feel intimidated just because you take life at your own pace. You're happy being you! That is a goal that many people can't seem to reach no matter what they do. So be you and live.
• India
14 Dec 06
Hi friend , according to me its all depend on u. If u want to achive a certain high position then u have to plan that from the begining or if want to settle for anything, then do the things which comes to ur way! But the ultimate thing is we should enjoy whatever we do in our life.
• United States
14 Dec 06
I would say that 50% of the people in the world don't have goals and that is fine. If you're happy just letting whatever happen and there isn't something specific you want to work toward or obtain that who cares. My goal is to buy 40-80 acres of land in June of 2007 and therefore I need to work toward that goal. Sometimes I set just small goals but that is me - to push myself to purchase the things that I want. Since I work from home, goal setting is a little more important than when I worked 9-5. Working from home you have to set goals to keep you motivated or you won't make any money.
@Rosy001 (363)
• South Africa
14 Dec 06
I guess thats true. each individual is different and perhaps i dont even realise that i do set very small, minimal goals for myself. Good luck in obtaining the land....
• Australia
14 Dec 06
I'm very much the same...I know I want to do something with my life - I just don't know WHAT yet! lol So I'm happy to just go with the flow, as you said, and let things happen. I have the smaller goals: Buy property, new car, have kids (eventually!), get married etc etc but I don't really know what I really want to DO! =) I don't think it's a problem either - as long as you are happy what else matters?
@Rosy001 (363)
• South Africa
14 Dec 06
At least i have company......lol!!!! but you right, as long as one has an idea of what you might want in life and gradually work towards that. thats a goal in itself....
@tomjonz (60)
• United States
13 Dec 06
Just keep on keeping on that's all you need to do try and do new stuff just to meet new people, you might meet some one who can make you happy and influence you at the same time!!
@Rosy001 (363)
• South Africa
14 Dec 06
Well i have met a few ppl in my life that definitely have instilled some positiveness in me.....made me realise that i actually do want more. i always feel that the ppl you meet in life play an important role in your life - good or bad. thanks!
@ThulsZ (784)
• India
14 Dec 06
have an eye on you work that is enough - have an eye on you work that is enough
hey friend even i don't have any goals in life.but,i didn't feel ashamed because i will do my work which was assigned to me..then what else
@iAlicia (758)
• United States
14 Dec 06
Oh yes. With out goals, how can one move forward and succeed?
• India
14 Dec 06
see ,i think nothing is bad in the world,but living aimlessly doing nothing doesn,t make anysense. so set ur goal, althebest
@mslena75 (561)
• United States
14 Dec 06
I don't think it is bad so much as that it is sad. Everyone has SOME type of goal, whether it is considered to be big or small. If you don't have something that you aspire to or are working towards, what drives you every day?? Just curious.
@dpsukheja (168)
• India
14 Dec 06
I wont say that it is bad not to have any goals. but u really need to set goals in life in order to acheive something. wen u complete ur goal, u feel very happy nd satisfied with life. so i think, one needs to set goals nd keep working on it.
• India
14 Dec 06
yes.'coz it takes u no where.if u wanna grow u should have goals in ur life.
@venshida (4836)
• United States
14 Dec 06
Your post is a little bit contradictory. You indicate you you go with the flow, but then you also mention hopelessness and inferiority so you might want to check the underlying reasons for not setting goals. If you want to live a life without goals, you will need to accept it, and don't let society opinions affect your decision.
• India
19 Apr 07
Yes, it is bad not to have goals in life because you don't know where your life is heading to. Without goals there is no purpose in life. But goals have to be specific. You cannot say my goal is to be happy. A goal has to have time limit after which you have to set another goal.
@rocaleo (46)
• Nigeria
14 Dec 06
Its what we live for,goals.....things we have to do to be called humans.if we live like we don't have goals then we are no different from the animals that we know...so we have tyo have plans...and that is our goal.
• New Delhi, India
14 Dec 06
I think it is true.One should have goal in his/ her life.We all learn or study just to get the goal in our life but without goal we cannot take the perfect dicission which we have to learn or study..........
@satlove (1110)
• India
14 Dec 06
it is not bad if one have no goals..but it is necessary ......if you have a goal then you know what to do....what you want.......where are you meant to reach..
@bacedone (430)
• Italy
14 Dec 06
is not bad, but is better to have some of it!
@smille (829)
• India
14 Dec 06
Yes you must have a goal in your life. Its still not late you can try to make some goal. and work on it.
• India
14 Dec 06
well it depends on the individual...sometimes without setting any goals people get offers..n settle down ...so..but truely u shld have some vision in ur life