I chatted with a few very creative, soulful folks recently about gaining traction towards creative desires, and we wandered onto the topic of setting and using goals as a tool to focus energy and efforts.
Personally, I have a bit of a challenge with the word goal. It feels a bit restrained and limiting. I prefer terms like objective, vision or task – they feel more open and flexible, even though they are also used to describe something very specific. But alas, the word goal is what’s most commonly used to describe a desired benchmark of achievement, acting as a guidepost to focus efforts as you strive to meet it.
However, the specific word or phrase doesn’t matter as much as the power you give to it.
The Obvious (and not so Obvious) Power of a Goal
Aside from the actual word, the concept of a goal holds big power over people. It can inspire some or deflate the motivation in others, or always feel like it’s just out of reach. No matter what word you use to describe the specific “thing”, accomplishment or feeling you strive for, it’s important to think of goals as living breathing things. They become an extension of you, or, the future you are slowly crafting into being.
This got me thinking about how when we grow and evolve (sometimes suddenly), the goals we’ve created need to change, too. Maybe a tragedy has completely changed your outlook on life, or a sudden unexpected opportunity has appeared in your lap. An even more exciting, you’ve decided to change your life path altogether, but the goals of the “old” you are still floating around in the background, holding you accountable and mucking up your momentum forward in a new direction.
With the season about to change, why not take the opportunity to reflect on the creative goals or objectives you have in place right now?
Do they still feel like a fit? Do they need a little tweaking? Are there one or two you can toss away altogether, even though you never officially “completed” them? (Trust me, it’s OK).
Even more important, is there a way for you to just “be” for a few weeks, without any goals to strive towards and feel into what type of goals make sense to create to take a real step towards the future creative you? Forcing goals for the illusion of progress does you no favors or get you closer to what you want, as much as waiting for clear intuitive guidance and right timing does.
Creative Block vs Outdated Goal
Goals are potent stuff, especially once we’ve locked in on them. If there is a creative block that seems to be hanging around, but you can’t quite connect to it or move past it, you might just be butting heads with one that’s outdated, but you haven’t given it permission to retire.
Just like software, you sometimes need an upgrade to a new version of your own operating system to refresh your flow and process. So take a little time to yourself, feel into what works for you now and the direction you want to move, then host a kick-ass going away party for those outdated goals!
If you need a little insight on how to move past stuck points, check out my Mini Guide for Connecting with your Inner Guidance and Creative Fire. Or maybe you need someone to just listen, and I can do that, too.