Life Goals You Aren't Willing To Work For

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The discussion centers around personal goals and the challenges of acknowledging and pursuing them, particularly as one ages. Participants reflect on their aspirations, ranging from running a marathon and hiking the Pacific Crest Trail to more ambitious dreams like building a multinational corporation or mastering various skills. There's a notable contrast between goals that individuals are actively working towards and those they wish to achieve but feel unmotivated to pursue. The conversation highlights a common struggle with time management and the realization that many goals remain unfulfilled due to a lack of commitment or effort. The dialogue also touches on the semantics of defining a "goal," emphasizing that true goals require active pursuit. Overall, the thread captures a mix of ambition, humor, and self-reflection regarding personal achievements and the passage of time.
lisab
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As the title says.

I think as a young person, it's hard to acknowledge you have these. Time seems infinite, surely there will come a day when you will achieve that illusive goal! Someday!

But I'm 50 now so I realize I have a few:

Run a marathon.
See the green flash.
Walk the Pacific Crest Trail.

I'm sure I have a lot more but I can't think of them now.

What are yours?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
finish my PhD
... wait nvm. :blushing:
 
Oh god, I have so many goals that I'm not willing to work for it's ridiculous. I want to learn a bunch of different languages, but I never put in the time. I want to have a fitness model's body, but I never work out. I want to be able to fight really well, but I never train. I want to learn how to cook many different dishes really well, but I just cook the same stuff over and over in a mediocre fashion. I want to be an actor, but I never audition. The list goes on.
 
Too little time to worry about theory, I just do and it's working so far.
 
Make my own empire. Too lazy though.
 
I think there's a semantic problem with the thread's title.

Goal:

"something that you are trying to do or achieve"
-Merriam-Websters

"The purpose toward which an endeavor is directed; an objective."
-American Heritage

In other words, it's not really proper to refer to a thing as a "goal" unless, and until, you are working toward it.
 
lisab said:
As the title says.

Run a marathon.
I don't run. If you see me running, there is something chasing me. You should run too.
See the green flash.
I had to google it last week when you posted this. I saw jpegs of the green flash. Check!
Walk the Pacific Crest Trail.
When are they going to pave that, so I can drive it?

I'm sure I have a lot more but I can't think of them now.

What are yours?

... ^v

I think as a young person, it's hard to acknowledge you have these. Time seems infinite, surely there will come a day when you will achieve that illusive goal! Someday!

But I'm 50 now so I realize I have a few:

I'm 4.7 years ahead of you, and took a completely different life path. (I love the "Meet a Mentor" series. Glasnost dobry.)

Goals:

1. Survive another 138 days
2. Refinance (It costs $10,000 to properly file a patent)
3. Write the patent
4. License the idea to the USPS, and collect my $50,000,000
5. Slowly develop a multinational corporation over 10 years into a $1,000,000,000,000 business.
6. Sell out
7. Buy you, and all my friends, mega-yachts
8. Meet you all in Bora Bora
9. Die, with a smile on my face

That is all.
 
I tell myself over and over again I will learn Calculus and physics because I enjoy reading about physics but I never actually put in the effort and learn the math behind any of it. It's just as a hobby but I will eventually dedicate some years to learning it all... Not just a month here and there.
 
I've had as a long term goal for a while to visit Japan, following me learning japanese. I finally started on it last year and have learned maybe ~800 words, but now I'm a bit stuck on the Kanji. Oh well, I'm only 34 so I have plenty of time left for completing the goal.
 
  • #10
I'm a little confused by the thread title... these are goals I'm NOT willing to work for? Well, here are two lists, I guess:

Goals I AM working towards:
  1. Hike all of NH's 4000 footers
  2. Become a millionaire
  3. Become a "master" woodworker (love it, not great at it)
  4. Work for SpaceX
  5. Be an American Express Centurion card holder

Goals I have that totally aren't worth the effort:
  1. Visit every nation in the world
  2. Skydive
 
  • #11
If I had infinite time, I would want to achieve proficiency in everything
 
  • #12
stardust said:
If I had infinite time, I would want to achieve proficiency in everything

Bam!

Hence lisab's somewhat confusing title.

:smile:
 
  • #13
Right now, it's learning how to play the piano. I'm just too busy for now until may :cry:
 
  • #14
Learn the violin.
Write a few stories which have been developing in some form or the other ever since I can remember.
Die by a sniper's head-shot while fishing.
Kill that sniper.
 
  • #15
Free solo the "The Nose" of El Cap.

123512_20087_L.jpg


http://www.supertopo.com/rock-climbing/Yosemite-Valley-El-Capitan-The-Nose

Avg time to climb route: 5 days
Approach time: 10 minutes
Descent time: 4 hours
Number of pitches: 31
Height of route: 2900'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leCAy1v1fnI
 
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