If you’re going to be successful, you have to set goals. At least that’s what we’ve always been told. Stephen Shapiro, author of Goal-Free Living, disagrees. After 150 interviews, he determined that the most satisfied and successful people are the least goal-oriented. In "Are Your Goals Holding You Back?" in the current issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, Shapiro explains that successful people and companies are "getting out, playing, and trying lots of new things." He doesn’t advocate aimless living, but rather thinking very broadly, with several possible paths to success.
It seems that goals are still useful—you just have to set them the right way. Take sales, for example. There will always be numbers (aka goals) to meet, but if that is the only focus, bigger long-term opportunities might be overlooked. And what about personal career goals? S&MM interviewed a sales executive who was happy and successful but might well have passed up the job if he'd had narrowly focused goals. We also published a list of steps for setting goals a few years ago, but maybe they need to be re-examined. Maybe the short-term goals are still necessary, but should be more flexible over the long haul. What’s your take on goals? Are they helpful, harmful, or just an optional means to an end? What Shapiro seems to be saying is that goal-setting is not compatible with outside-the-box thinking—but can his approach even apply to the numbers-driven sales profession?
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