Goals Like Bamboo: Rooted, Resilient, Ever-Growing

“We set goals based on who we are today, not who we’ll be when we reach them. It’s no surprise we end up disappointed — the person you’ll become might not care about the things you care about now.” (Inspired by Dan Gilbert’s insight on future desires)

The quote above is my rendition Dan Gilbert’s (author of ‘Stumbling on Happiness’) quote:

“We often set our goals based on who we are currently rather than who we will be when we achieve them, leading to dissatisfaction because our future selves may not find the same things fulfilling that we do now…”

Book Notes

We’re not as good at predicting happiness as we think. We make decisions based on what we want now, assuming our future selves will feel the same way — spoiler: they won’t. Bad things don’t hurt as much as we expect, and we’re great at adapting, even finding unexpected happiness when things don’t go as planned (blessings in disguise). The catch? Too much freedom and too many options often leave us feeling less satisfied (decision fatigue). And, comparing ourselves to others is the fastest way to ruin a good thing. In the end, happiness is less about getting what we want and more about learning to appreciate what we’ve got (gratitude, be in the present moment).

Here’s a quick and descriptive breakdown of the quote

Setting Goals for the Current Self: “Goals are like polaroids — they capture a moment, but by the time they develop, the moment’s gone.”

The Mismatch Between Evolved Identity and Original Goals: “Some goals wear you like old sweaters: stretched out, too tight in the wrong places, but you keep them on out of habit.”

Goals Should Evolve with You: “A good goal knows how to breathe. The real trick isn’t holding your breath; it’s knowing when to exhale and take another breath.”

Real-Life Application: “What felt urgent yesterday can feel foreign today. Stay loose. Stay open. Let your priorities catch their breath.”

In a Nutshell: “Don’t chase a static version of yourself. Who you’re becoming is always a little further down the road — and that’s where the real story is.”Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

📝 A Brief Note:

These are just my observations, not universal truths. I share ideas that have worked for me — take what resonates, leave what doesn’t. As Bruce Lee 🐉said,

“Life is your Teacher and you are in the state of constant learning…
Absorb what is useful; discard what is not; add what is uniquely your own.”