The Dark Side of Big Goals

Many ambitious individuals set big goals in their lives, hoping to achieve a sense of accomplishment and happiness. However, the speaker shares his personal experience of running a sub-three-hour marathon and the surprising realization that followed the accomplishment. He explains the two potential outcomes of big goals: missing the goal or achieving it. Missing a big goal can lead to feelings of pain, sadness, and disenchantment. On the other hand, achieving a big goal might initially bring euphoria but can quickly fade, leaving a sense of emptiness. The speaker emphasizes the unhappiness that big goals can cause through the arrival fallacy, purpose dissipation, and an extrinsic focus. They share their shift in perspective towards micro goals, small incremental targets that provide continuous growth and daily purpose without the pressure for life-changing outcomes. They argue that micro goals avoid the arrival fallacy, create daily focus, and promote intrinsic motivation.