Better Than Happy 546. Your Brain Is Lying to You About Goals
Jan 2, 2026
Ever wonder if setting goals is worth the potential disappointment? The discussion tackles why avoiding goals can lead to more emotional pain. Goals, when aligned with your brain's wiring, serve as vital tools for focus and motivation. Emphasizing growth and challenge, they help redirect suffering purposefully. The host shares that declaring goals can reshape your identity and that even if you miss a target, it’s okay—it builds resilience. Ultimately, pursuing growth while embracing self-love is key to true fulfillment.
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Goals Work With Your Brain
- Goals are tools that align your brain's focus toward what you want instead of what you fear.
- Use goals to leverage the brain's natural tendency to magnify what it focuses on and attract related outcomes.
Avoiding Goals Redirects Suffering
- Avoiding goals doesn't reduce emotional pain; it redirects suffering to less controllable or less fulfilling areas.
- Not having goals often increases judgment, anger, or fixation on external events rather than purposeful growth.
Balance Acceptance With Ambition
- The ideal balance is loving where you are now while pursuing meaningful goals.
- Combining self-acceptance with growth yields fulfillment and aligns with how humans are wired to create and contribute.