Goals

Words by Contentus

A very lofty word, isn’t it? Goals. They sound grandiose yet hollow. Everywhere I look, I see motivational influencers extolling the virtues of SMART goals or mocking so-called failures who drift through life with no apparent purpose. At first, I chuckle to myself at their stupidity. Then, I wonder whether their actions are driven by our own ultra-competitive society. Whether they’re being compelled to dish out useless, workday advice to the drones of competitors striving to be number one, or at least not number none.

Why this relentless pursuit of self-enhancement? Scientists say it’s an evolutionary imperative to adapt to our surroundings—to upgrade ourselves. Ancient humans who managed to do so were more likely to survive, reproduce, and pass on their traits to their offspring, thereby spreading the genes of never-ending self-improvement deeper into the population. Seems logical.

Politicians, however, believe otherwise. Some claim that governments and corporations, in all their gluttonous greed, exploit us by making us feel inadequate in the hopes of pushing us to run faster, grind harder—essentially to do anything that might ease the sting of inferiority. This is most obvious in the self-help industry, but virtually any sector—public, private, or otherwise—benefits when participants are willing to upgrade themselves. It’s even good for schools! Who has ever complained about students wanting to study too much?

Still, goal-setting is only one way to improve oneself. Its effectiveness is limited to those who have the time and patience to craft SMART goals, as well as the motivation and focus to accomplish them. In other words, very few of us. Other methods of self-improvement prove much easier and asynchronous—one of my must-have features in any activity. Simply deciding to research a topic or flip through a textbook is enough to make you a better person. Even better, engaging in active processes such as practising exam questions, running through mock interviews, or simulating meetings can help us cement our takeaways and teach us to apply them in the real world.

Who needs goals for that? Just pick up a book, learn something new, and use it. With helpful websites like WikiHow, Wikipedia, and Britannica, research and self-teaching have never been more accessible. Social media also allows us to converse directly with professionals. One particular feature of Reddit, called Ask Me Anything (AMA), demonstrates this well. Through social platforms, we essentially have a direct hotline to experts all around the world, eager to answer our questions—whether innocently curious or profoundly disturbing.

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