“A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” - Lao Tzu

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

One of the things we’re told by productivity gurus is that we need to have clearly defined goals or outcomes — the better defined it is, the more likely you’ll achieve it.

And this is true, to some extent. It’s worked for me, when I visualized my goals and set my mind to achieving it, and took small action steps to get there … I achieved my goals.

It works … and yet, it’s not the only way. In fact, depending on your outlook on life, it may not be the ideal way.

The problem with focusing on the outcome is that things don’t always turn out that way. And when they don’t, you’ll often end up either 1) trying to force something when it shouldn’t be forced; or 2) being hugely disappointed or frustrated.

Here’s a method that embraces simplicity:

Don’t try to force outcomes — let them happen. Be open to what emerges.

This is a change that I’ve been trying in my life over the last year or more — slowly, gradually, because it’s not always easy. You have to learn to let go of the need to achieve certain outcomes, to embrace the flow, and that can be very difficult. So I’ve learned to embrace it slowly, and it has been wonderful.

Goals Made Simple
One of the most common questions I’m asked when interviewed is, “So what are your plans for Zen Habits in the next year or two?” And my answer is, “I have no plans. I just want to keep enjoying what I’m doing, do the best I can, and see what arises.”

This is a radically different approach from the way many people do things. It’s not necessarily better, but it has worked well for me. » Continue your journey »