Motivation

We often set out to do certain things, create certain goals for ourselves to achieve because sometimes we hope for the opportunity to do those things. The opportunity to meet new friends and travel perhaps or challenge ourselves to do something that we would otherwise not do be it something stupid like licking an LSD sticker or drinking 16 cups of coffee.

How often do we achieve these mundane goals to help ourselves fulfill a sense of purpose? How many New Year's resolution have we truly fulfilled? I myself have fulfilled none so far. Maybe you're more motivated and discipline than I am, if so I congratulate you.

I once had a housemate who came from America. She set up amazing goals the day she moved in and published them proudly in the form of a poster at the front of the door for all to see. All of her goals had a theme, a theme to ensure that she did all that she could to experience Australia -- riding a bike down the swan river, dressing up for Halloween, kayaking and so on. All these goals would ensure she made new friends and create new memories and hopefully adventures.

When she moved out, I could not ascertain if any of said goals were ever achieved. She was rarely seen with friends and definitely did not dress up for Halloween. And the only "adventure" she had was spending a night in the company of two different men within the span of two weeks. If that was one of her goals, she definitely achieved it. The only other adventure she had was figuring out how to make edible food to sustain herself.

It made me wonder why we ever made these mundane goals. Sure some of the goals we set are important and are achieved such as buying a house, graduating college, getting a pet. But what about the mundane, short term, silly ones? Are we trying to fool ourselves that we could be something that we're not? Or are we trying have something good to look forward to because we're afraid and empty? Or perhaps something positive to look forward to so we feel a sense of achievement or at least an attempt at it?

I no longer know, maybe it's age, or maybe I don't care anymore. I just live each day as it comes and do what I want to do today. Perhaps I might feel a need to set arbitrary goals on New Year's Eve just to fit in and pretend I am going to do what I set out to do. Or decide that if a bunch of fun goals might turn me into a night walker, I probably should just stick to living each day as it comes.