Looking Beyond Obvious Goals
Prioritising goals outside of career achievements for a happier life.
In 2023, I learned the value of diversifying, not just in terms of my money but also in terms of my life. I remember when I was a teenager, all I ever wanted was to be the best at everything I did. (well, second best because I had a fear of succeeding, but that part of my life deserves a dedicated post. :P )
When you live for the wins, especially from a career point of view, most people choose to play by their strengths. You are likely to choose a path where you have the most skills or the highest interest. While that grants you growth and expertise in your area of work, it deprives you of the opportunity to explore plenty of other options out there.
That’s where diversification comes into picture. In addition to setting career-specific goals, discover goals that make you feel at peace when you think about them. I call them “life and beyond” goals. The best part about these goals is that there is no pressure to win any race because you are the only one competing.
One such goal of mine is to build a personal library. When I think of my personal library, I envision my friends & family coming over to my house and finding at least 1 book they can resonate with, no matter what stage of life they’re in. It’s crazy to think that this collection of books will continue to exist for the next god knows how many decades.
Snippets from my personal library
Highly recommend reading
‘s books. I absolutely adore her words.
Am I There Yet? by
is my definition of comfort.
This last year of showcasing intention towards non-career goals has been extremely fruitful for me. It certainly is challenging to break out from the mindset of a mundane life and look at the bigger picture. Today, I hope you find comfort in knowing that you are allowed to choose goals which uplift not just your present self but also enable you to leave a legacy for generations to come.
What would you include in your “life and beyond” goals? Comment down below!
I love both the idea of "life and beyond" goals (I've played around with something similar for a while) and your goal of building a personal library, Mansi!
One of my "life and beyond" goals, perhaps the most important one, is to simply ... feel good.
Focusing on such non-career goals is indeed important as it helps us become more holistic, well-rounded, as well as fulfilled individuals.