Goal! ...or not

I have heard many times over the years about how important it is to set goals for myself in order to become successful in life.  Asking me "where do you see yourself in 5 years?"  or "What are your goals?"  causes my brain to shut down and pushes me to the edge of  insanity.  I have never been able to answer that question.  I have no idea what my goals are.  Maybe my goals are to have no goals.  I can't imagine what my life will be like next year, let alone five years from now.  And anytime I set goals, it only results in failure and then I feel like a huge loser.  

There has been one exception however.  I successfully reached my goal of 50,000 words in 30 days in last years National Novel Writing Month marathon.  It took me 8 tries over 8 years to reach that goal.  Each year I would give up after two weeks of bitching and moaning and stressing and swearing never to do it again.  This year was different, I accessed the social supports that were available and attended the write ins.  So I had to reach my goal, because that's what was expected.  I had to prove I could do it, to those who were being supportive of me.

I was diagnosed a few years ago with Adult Attention Deficit Disorder. Don't laugh, it's a real condition.  Having ADD makes goal setting nearly impossible.  Self discipline does not come easily to ADD people.  We sort flit through our lives like bees in a garden of flowers, touching down here, touching down there, never really staying long enough at any one thing for very long.  I always figure my life will play out as it should without any goal setting on my part.  And so far, it has been working out okay for me.  

In order for me to achieve a goal I have to be accountable to someone other than myself.  I won't let others down.  I won't jeopardize a project by not completing something on time.  I will leave it all to the last minute, being a pressure prompted individual, but that's a whole other post.  

I really believe our society is way too focused on goals.  On being productive. On moving  forward. On winning.   I say pfffft!!   Just live your life. Chill out.  And leave the goals to the Leafs.  HAHAHAHA!