Are Anti-Goals More Important Than Goals?

Having goals is important. We are quite literally designed to always be future-looking—our brains are conditioned to be happiest while working toward something.

It’s why, when in pursuit of something—maybe it’s a marathon, a promotion at work, or a personal milestone—we think, “Once I accomplish this, I’ll be happy.” Once we have this “thing,” whatever that thing is for you, we are always convinced that the next milestone is when we will truly be happy.

But how many times, once you accomplish whatever you’ve been working toward, do you find yourself so quickly looking at the next “thing” to acquire or achieve?

It’s important to be proud of ourselves when we accomplish our goals, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep striving. When we continue to push those goalposts back, we ensure ongoing growth.

As important as goals are for happiness in our lives, I recently learned about anti-goals, and they might just be more important than the goals themselves.

Let me explain.

The more goals we set and accomplish, the more our confidence in our abilities increases. But, as we just discussed, we also tend to immediately move the goalpost back for the next challenge.

Over time, the goals we set for ourselves tend to get bigger and bigger. Naturally, the larger the goal, the more work and sacrifice it will require.

If we truly care about accomplishing our goals, we need to understand that we might have to make sacrifices in other parts of our lives in order to achieve them.

This is where anti-goals come in. Anti-goals are the things we are not willing to sacrifice in pursuit of our ambitions.

For example, I have been training for a 50-mile ultramarathon this June. It is the biggest physical challenge I have ever set for myself, and I understand the amount of training and dedication it will require.

Because this goal is so important to me, I have accepted that certain sacrifices must be made. Time spent relaxing, eating out, or some of my free time on weekends is now dedicated to training and recovery.

However, I have also started setting anti-goals—things I am not willing to sacrifice in order to accomplish this ultramarathon. Mine are:

• I am not willing to allow this goal to affect my ability to be a good partner.

• I will not miss valuable time with loved ones.

• I won’t let this goal diminish the effort I put into building this business.

I like to think of anti-goals as the standards by which we live our lives. No matter how hectic life becomes, these standards remind me of what is truly important and what type of person I want to be.

The goals we set are the next rungs on the ladder that we are reaching for. But inversely, our anti-goals are the nets that keep us from falling off completely.

So, which is more important?

Personally, I believe staying on the ladder altogether is more valuable than missing the next rung. Because if it’s a goal you truly care about, you won’t let that first miss stop you from reaching again.

So next time you're thinking about that next rung or the next challenge to conquer, consider what you're willing to sacrifice in order to achieve it. But perhaps more importantly, ask yourself—what are you not willing to sacrifice?

The answer might surprise you.

Stay committed. Stay consistent.

Find Your 1%.

Have a great week!

GTY