You Are Free to Choose Goals, But Your Goals Limit Your Freedom
Today I came across quite a profound and painfully true quote from psychology professor Dr. Edward Deci. This quote comes from research on the human motivation to pursue change. Deci states:
…goals that people are free to pursue can end up controlling the people who pursue them.
Reading this quote sent my mind spinning for a moment. While in hindsight this quote is obvious, this is the first time I’ve read a statement that sums up this truth so eloquently. It’s simply a fact that your goals limit your freedom. Specifically in cases when you truly desire a goal and are not just giving it lip service.
For example, if your goal is to be a world class athlete, you aren’t free to eat or drink what you want or go to bed and wake up when you want. If your goal is to be a CEO of a billion dollar company, you aren’t free to take a vacation anytime you want or binge watch Netflix each night until 3 am. If your goal is to be a great parent and spouse, you aren’t free to hang out with friends partying each weekend.
It’s true that many people with goals like these don’t desire these contrasting freedoms. However, it’s also true that many people fail to achieve these type of goals because they choose to ignore the limits on their freedom.