Comments on: Success…Without the Stress http://www.steveshapiro.com/2006/03/09/successwithout-the-stress/ Steve shares his unconventional approach on Business Innovation, Creativity, Goals and Critical Thinking Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:12:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Lynda B. http://www.steveshapiro.com/2006/03/09/successwithout-the-stress/#comment-401 Lynda B. Fri, 21 Apr 2006 01:33:00 +0000 http://www.goalfree.com/?p=195#comment-401 Thanks for the clarification. It helps. I have ordered the book and look forward to reading further to fully explore the points you are making. I had to laugh at my initial reaction... sounded like blasphemy to someone who has been as programmed by "personal power" programs as I have in the past. My mantra for many years has been to live a life by design rather than default. However, I can see the difference between mindful intention and SMART goals. Knowing what general direction I want to move in is useful. Yet I am beginning to conceive how being too honed in on the specifics of dreams can do our spirit serious disservice. Thanks for the insight. It will be interesting to see to what degree I do or do not choose to incorporate this very different way of thinking. Thanks for the clarification. It helps. I have ordered the book and look forward to reading further to fully explore the points you are making.

I had to laugh at my initial reaction… sounded like blasphemy to someone who has been as programmed by “personal power” programs as I have in the past. My mantra for many years has been to live a life by design rather than default. However, I can see the difference between mindful intention and SMART goals. Knowing what general direction I want to move in is useful. Yet I am beginning to conceive how being too honed in on the specifics of dreams can do our spirit serious disservice. Thanks for the insight. It will be interesting to see to what degree I do or do not choose to incorporate this very different way of thinking.

]]> By: Stephen Shapiro http://www.steveshapiro.com/2006/03/09/successwithout-the-stress/#comment-384 Stephen Shapiro Wed, 19 Apr 2006 21:48:03 +0000 http://www.goalfree.com/?p=195#comment-384 Thanks for visiting the website. Being goal-free does not mean having no goals. It means being free from from the burden and limitation of traditional goals. Having said that, it is also about avoiding SMART goals -- those that are specific, measurable, achievable, results-based, and time oriented. These types of goals limit us even further. Goal-Free Living is best described as meandering with purpose -- or, as is the first secret, "Use a Compass, Not a Map." In the example of this high school student, instead of focusing on the goal of doing well (which caused stress and ultimate failure) she played a game. By focusing on something other than the obvious and immediate goal, she was able to create success with less effort. Hopefully as you read this blog, and the book, you will get a better sense of the concepts association with Goal-Free Living. Thanks for visiting the website. Being goal-free does not mean having no goals. It means being free from from the burden and limitation of traditional goals. Having said that, it is also about avoiding SMART goals — those that are specific, measurable, achievable, results-based, and time oriented. These types of goals limit us even further. Goal-Free Living is best described as meandering with purpose — or, as is the first secret, “Use a Compass, Not a Map.”

In the example of this high school student, instead of focusing on the goal of doing well (which caused stress and ultimate failure) she played a game. By focusing on something other than the obvious and immediate goal, she was able to create success with less effort.

Hopefully as you read this blog, and the book, you will get a better sense of the concepts association with Goal-Free Living.

]]> By: lynda bennett http://www.steveshapiro.com/2006/03/09/successwithout-the-stress/#comment-383 lynda bennett Wed, 19 Apr 2006 21:42:05 +0000 http://www.goalfree.com/?p=195#comment-383 I am quite new to the concept of "goal free living", and frankly I'm baffled. To me it seems you are NOT moving away from goals, but rather adjusting goals to be more focused on the present rather than the future, and to incororate more flexibility. You seem to be encouraging pursuit of an enriched life that is not based on external social success. But that IS working toward a goal, albeit a very different one than advertisers point us toward. Am I missing something here? I am quite new to the concept of “goal free living”, and frankly I’m baffled. To me it seems you are NOT moving away from goals, but rather adjusting goals to be more focused on the present rather than the future, and to incororate more flexibility. You seem to be encouraging pursuit of an enriched life that is not based on external social success. But that IS working toward a goal, albeit a very different one than advertisers point us toward. Am I missing something here?

]]> By: Jason Yip http://www.steveshapiro.com/2006/03/09/successwithout-the-stress/#comment-321 Jason Yip Fri, 10 Mar 2006 09:28:46 +0000 http://www.goalfree.com/?p=195#comment-321 This reminds me of a phrase Bruce Lee used to describe how to approach martial arts: "serious play". This reminds me of a phrase Bruce Lee used to describe how to approach martial arts: “serious play”.

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