The Art of Achieving Without Goals
“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” -Martin Luther King Jr.
I started off the New Year with an artistic bang! I unexpectedly got three of my paintings into the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibit. One of the paintings even won the first ever Black Creativity Council Award. I am both honored and surprised because none of this was planned. It is a goal that I am so proud to have achieved. But Jenni-poo, how does one achieve goals without setting them you ask?
Well, have you ever had one of those long, deep, beautiful conversations with a friend? The kind where y’all just flow—where the talk twists and turns in ways neither of you saw coming? Where you laugh, maybe even cry a little, and by the time you look up, hours have passed like minutes? Those are nice, right? That magic of bouncing off each other, diving into the unexpected, feeling free to roam wherever the moment takes you?
Now, imagine instead that before you even started talking, you had a whole plan—an agenda, a strict path you had to follow. Every time one of you drifted, you’d pull it back, steer it toward that one outcome you had in mind.
Would that conversation be better? Or would it lose some of its soul? Some of its spirit?
I tell you this—there’s something sacred in the wandering, something powerful in letting the journey unfold as it will.
This, my friend, is the goal-less path.
Why Would Anyone Work Without Goals?
For years, I was all about chasing goals—always looking ahead, always reaching. But at the same time, I was trying to learn to slow down, simplify my life, and find peace in the present. That’s when I had a revelation:
- Always striving for more didn’t sit right with being truly content. If you’re always wanting, how can you ever just be?
- Goals aren’t even a requirement. I used to think they were, but truth be told, they don’t have to be part of the journey at all. And if I’m living in my soft life era, anything unnecessary gotta go.
So, I had to ask myself—what’s the point of the grind if you ain’t even enjoying the ride?
The Truth from My Goal-Free Experiment
We’ve been taught that goals are the only way to get somewhere in life. Black women, especially go above and beyond every single time in everything we do! But let me tell you—turns out, that doesn’t have to be the case. Here’s what I found when I let go of the chase:
- We act like goals are the only way to succeed, but really, they’re not. Success isn’t just one road—it’s a whole map full of possibilities.
- Goals put you in a box. You decide on one outcome, but who said that’s the only good one? There are plenty doors in life, but if you too focused on one, you’ll miss the others.
- We make up goals based on some dream of the future, but the truth is, we don’t know what’s coming. The future got its own plans, and trying to force it to fit some idea in your head? That’s just setting yourself up for disappointment.
- When you locked in on a goal, you block yourself from unexpected blessings. New doors open, but you too busy looking straight ahead to see them.
- And when that goal doesn’t happen? Now you feeling like you failed. But if you aren’t fixated on some fantasy outcome, you can just enjoy the process, the journey, the now.
- Always chasing the next thing keeps you from appreciating where you stand. If you stuck on what’s ahead, how can you be grateful for what’s here?
- Even if you do hit that goal, what happens next? You just set another one. The cycle don’t end.
That’s just the beginning—I could talk all day on how society has tricked us into believing in this illusion. But real freedom? That comes from letting go and trusting the path as it unfolds.
The 4 Guiding Principles
So how are you supposed to work without goals? Just sit around and do nothing? Nah, not at all. See, when you truly love what you do, you don’t need a goal to get moving—you wake up wanting to create, to build, to do something meaningful. I know this firsthand, ‘cause even without some fixed destination, I’m always excited to get up and paint. I spent a whole year trying new techniques, playing with new colour palettes and just finding peace in the process. It did wonders for my mental health.
This can work with anything. Any hobby, task, fitness… you name it. Instead of chasing some far-off outcome, you move with intention, moment by moment, guided by principles that matter to you. The question isn’t, “Am I getting closer to my goal?” but rather, “Am I doing something right now that aligns with my values?”
Now, your principles might not be the same as mine, but here are the ones that keep me grounded:
- Do What Sets Your Soul on Fire. Too many folks spend their days doing things that don’t excite them. Me? You kno what lights me up. And if there’s something I gotta do that feels dull, I either cut it loose or find a way to make it real Life’s too short to be dragging your feet.
- Lift as You Climb. Helping others is at the heart of everything I do—whether it’s my friends, my family, or folks who just need a hand. Every move I make, every word I write, everything I create, is rooted in that. If you wanna live with purpose, make sure what you do serves somebody besides yourself.
- Build Real Bonds. Everything you do, in life and in business, should be strengthening relationships. I keep it real with my people, my community—because trust is everything. Be someone folks can count on, and the connections you build will carry you further than any goal ever could.
- Stay Curious, Stay Open. The more you stay curious—about people, about life—the more you grow. Curiosity makes you a better listener, a better friend, and a wiser person. The journey is enriched by it. And if you aren’t growing, then what’s the point?
Live by the Principles, Not the Plan
These four principles aren’t just for working without goals—they work for everything. Whether you’re having a deep conversation, exploring the world, or building something with others, they keep you grounded in the moment.
So when you wake up, don’t stress about chasing some far-off goal. Instead, ask yourself—What do I feel like doing right now? What’s gonna bring me joy today, not years from now? Those long-term goals? They’re some distant dream that may or may not come true. But doing something that lights you up right now? That’s real. That’s what keeps you moving.
So as you step into your day, let these four principles guide you. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it lifts people up, builds trust, brings you joy, and feeds your curiosity about life.
Then do it again. And again. Every step of the way, you aren’t just working toward some imaginary finish line—you’re already living it.
