pick an imaginary point and heads towards it. if that point is a goal or achievement, you may be able to approach it, but, more often than not, that original point is ultimately out of reach, always just beyond your fingertips. 

whether or not you reach your desired destination, you will have left from where you started and are nearer to where you wanted to go. it’s an exercise that enhances and gives meaning to the game of life and improves gameplay aka life itself.  

toddlers stumble from a to b, careening toward their destination, holding on to whatever is available for balance. Through adulthood, we never really stop doing this. When we find a new direction, we often stagger and sway as we reach for things outside of ourselves for balance, to feel grounded.  

some tend to pursue goals that require ascendence from their comfort zone, taking bigger risks that advance to the next stage of unfamiliar territory. they fall, get back up, and another opportunity to reach their goal presents itself in a new context. many of us find this process unpleasant. 

to avoid such setbacks, many of us quit or come up with excuses to give up on the pursuit despite knowing deep down that it’s worthwhile. throughout this process, a seemingly inexhaustible inner dialogue pulls us one way or the other, telling us to persist or give up. beware this chatter may not cease even when the goal is reached. 

an old Taoist text says that when the wrong man uses the right means, the right means work in the wrong way. we set goals to improve ourselves and our surroundings. setting a goal is often the proper means to reach a desired outcome, but it’s possible the goal is for the wrong person, and/or the means by which the goal is pursued are defective. 

these aspects of setting a goal can be neglected due to a preoccupation with ephemeral mind states. we prioritize short-term alleviation of discomfort rather than forming a comprehensive perspective on what it will take to reach the goal, and what achieving the goal actually is in terms of experience. 

this is our challenge. get back on the horse, or give it to somebody who can make us of it and wait for the right one for you.      

Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.

Mark Twain