I don’t set goals anymore; here’s why.

I know this sounds controversial for someone who coaches executives. But I'm going to say it anyway:

I don't set goals anymore. At least not the way we've been taught to.

And before you write me off as anti-ambition or lacking direction, let me explain why goals—at least in their traditional form—can actually limit your growth.

The Problem with Goals

Goals are binary. You either achieve them or you don't. They create a narrow definition of success and failure, often causing us to overlook unexpected opportunities because they weren't part of the plan.

Research in organizational behavior, particularly studies on goal-setting theory by Edwin Locke and Gary Latham, shows that while specific goals can drive performance in stable, predictable environments, they can actually harm performance in complex, rapidly changing contexts. Why? Because rigid goals create tunnel vision. We become so focused on hitting the target that we miss the wisdom telling us the target has moved.

Think about it: How many times have you achieved a goal only to feel... empty? Or missed a goal and felt like a failure, even though you'd grown immensely in the process? Or stubbornly pursued a goal long after it stopped making sense, simply because you'd committed to it?

Goals lock us into a version of success we defined in the past. They don't account for who we're becoming or what's emerging.

Intentions Over Goals

Instead of goals, I set intentions.

An intention is a direction, not a destination. It's a quality of being or acting that guides your choices without locking you into a specific outcome.

For example:

A goal: "Increase revenue by 25% by Q4."

An intention: "Lead with strategic clarity and make decisions aligned with sustainable growth."

See the difference? The goal is rigid. The intention is flexible. The goal creates pressure. The intention creates presence.

With an intention, if an unexpected opportunity arises—say, a partnership that doesn't immediately boost revenue but positions you for exponential growth next year—you can say yes. With a goal, you might dismiss it because it doesn't directly serve the metric.

In Buddhism, this is the practice of "right intention"—orienting your actions toward wisdom, compassion, and skillful means rather than clinging to fixed outcomes.

Vision Without Attachment

Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't have vision. Vision is essential. But vision is different from goals.

Vision is a felt sense of where you're headed—an expansive picture of what you're creating, who you're becoming, the impact you want to have. It's aspirational without being prescriptive.

Goals try to nail vision down to metrics. Vision allows for emergence.

Research on psychological flexibility—a concept from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)—shows that people who hold their plans lightly and adapt based on emerging information are more resilient, more innovative, and ultimately more successful than those who rigidly adhere to predetermined goals.

When you lead with vision and intention rather than fixed goals, you create space for serendipity, for intuition, for the kind of opportunities you couldn't have planned for.

How to Work with Intentions

If you're curious about shifting from goals to intentions, here's how to start:

1. Identify the quality behind the goal. If your goal is to "launch a new product," what's the deeper intention? Maybe it's "to innovate boldly" or "to serve our customers more deeply." Lead with that.

2. Set direction, not destination. Instead of "I will achieve X by Y date," try "I'm moving toward..." or "I'm cultivating..." This keeps you oriented without locking you in.

3. Check in regularly. Ask yourself: Is this intention still true? Is it guiding my decisions? Do I need to adjust based on what I'm learning?

4. Celebrate the practice, not just the outcome. Did you make decisions aligned with your intention? Did you show up with the quality you committed to? That's success, regardless of external results.

Research on agile leadership shows that leaders who embrace emergent strategy—adapting their approach based on real-time learning—consistently outperform those who stick rigidly to long-term plans in complex, dynamic markets.

The Freedom in Letting Go

When I stopped setting rigid goals and started setting intentions, something shifted. I stopped feeling like I was constantly falling short. I stopped dismissing opportunities because they weren't on my list. I started trusting the unfolding.

And paradoxically? I've accomplished more—and experienced more fulfillment—than I ever did chasing goals.

Because I'm not attached to a predetermined outcome. I'm committed to a way of being. And that makes all the difference.

What if, instead of setting goals this year, you set an intention for how you want to show up? What quality do you want to embody? What direction do you want to move toward?

Try it. You might be surprised by what emerges.