Set Fuzzy Goals
overview
When you wish to move forward and evolve, you need to define goals. Goals and Visions have a dual role: they visualize where you aim to go, and they motivate you to take the next step toward that destination. However, when your goals are too specific or rigid, they leave less room for Playfulness and Creativity.
When you Set Fuzzy Goals, you leave room for different interpretations and surprises along the way. You can refine and redefine your goals, which promotes a Sense of Freedom. You are more likely to Value the Journey because having flexible goals makes room for the journey to affect the destination. And you have the space to identify surprising opportunities and pursue them without losing the overall direction.
Fuzzy Goals are more than destinations — they are enablers. Like a lighthouse, they provide you with a sense of direction and purpose, but at the same time, they allow you to Play, Imagine, Experience, and Wonder along the way.
actionable steps
Make your vision and goals concrete enough to see the destination in your mind and fuzzy enough to allow room for surprising opportunities and interpretations.
Make sure your goals do not dictate the road to be taken. If the road is rigid, you will have little room for Creativity.
Refine and reshape your goals throughout the journey. Adding concrete details is desired at some point, but as the primary motivator is the fuzzier vision, the details can change as needed.
When you identify an opportunity, don’t dismiss it even if it goes beyond the scope of your goals. Fuzzy Goals enable more opportunities, but some opportunities are worth pursuing even if they aim for a completely different destination.
examples
Example 1
When learning a new subject, you might be tempted to define goals, such as reading a particular book on the matter or passing a test. Consider a more fuzzy goal like being able to use the subject in a real project. This goal might sound concrete at first, but if the project is open enough, the path toward achieving this goal is not predefined. In fact, the list of things you will learn along the way is also not predefined, and therefore you have more space to play and create your own path toward the goal.