Have you noticed how goals have gotten a hashtag in social media?
I don’t actually repost images of Mica Arganaraz and label them #hairgoals, but I’ve certainly thought it. Even texted the image to my hairstylist to see what she could do. (Nothing…she couldn’t get me the hair.)
Another area often #goal’ed is yoga postures. There’s a ton of yogis (and nonyogis) who yearn to be bendable in a way their bodies may or may not be capable of. Same thing goes with toned tummies…hashtagged goals seem to like washboard abs.
Then there are home goals. Like renovated kitchens, living room decors, and anything DIY.
Caribbean vacations, cute couples and healthy meals also get goal’ed.
It’s a lot to aspire to which is fine as long as we realize many of these goals aren’t achievable. And even more importantly, they don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things.
Mica Arganaraz’s hair, flying crow pose, and tropical vacations –they are temporary. The happiness they may bring is fleeting.
Other goals which may not be hashtagged, but still occupy space in our lives could be career driven or family related – both beautiful and worthwhile. But still only temporary.
Which is why we need a supreme goal, a purpose that’s more deeply rooted.
In Buddhism the supreme goal is enlightenment, or to be a bodhisattva. It may seem unrealistic — to be in a place like NYC amidst all the noise and grime, but you don’t have to be a monk in a Buddhist temple wearing a robe! There are plenty of bodhisattvas living amongst us today. You may not know them when you see them, but when you come into contact with them you definitely know. An interaction with a bodhisattva leaves you feeling better than you were before.
And we can all work towards that — helping others rise. Forget being a bodhisattva, if that feels too strange. Just try to make your supreme goal bigger than yourself.
Start with kindness. Can you find an opportunity to be more kind, to be of service to someone else?
You don’t have to give up your other goals for your supreme goal — there’s space for all to exist. But once your supreme goal becomes the foundation for all your actions, those other #goals get put in their place so you #DontSweatTheSmallStuff.
What’s one thing you can do today to move in the direction of your supreme goal?
(Image from the instagram of Mica Arganaraz)
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Excellent post, Elysha. Goal setting in a staple in leadership training.
All too often, people either don’t have a goal for themselves or copy others (i.e. hashtag goals you pointed out). Neither will put them on the path to achieve success.
What may helps is to know that while the clearer the “supreme goal” is the better it is to be realized, a simple direction will suffice if that is all you can come up with.
Having a direction will provide the guidepost. And through daily living and refinement, people can embark the journey to achieve their supreme goals.
I’ve written about this one! Wanting to be a bodhisattva:). Lifelong process, isn’t it? But so worth the journey.
I loved your post and so I did a little bit more research about Buddhism and becoming a bodhisattva. It sounds magnificent! I will have to start small as you suggested with more kindness. I also find the hashtag dynamic fun and so I came up with this one ……..#MOTT (which is an acronym for Most Of The Time) since that’s about the best goal I can aim for……..being kind most of the time.
Well put, Terry. I like how you point out that a simple direction is a good place to start, and then the path can be refined. Thank you!
Ah, if only we could all be bodhisattvas! What a beautiful place that would be…
PS: I tried to find your post on the topic, but wasn’t able to get to it.
#MOTT is an excellent goal! What I like most about this is it brings in the element of awareness — an essential on the bodhisattva path!
My goal is to be more present 🙂
Beautiful, Michele. Thankyou.