Goals or Tasks?

I am currently reading a book titled The Energy of Money by Maria Nemeth. I decided I wanted to read 1 book a month since I have been slacking on my reading lately and really wanted to get back into the habit.

This is not just a "sit down for a few hours and read it cover to cover book". This is a slog through each chapter, do the exercises, let them sink in then move to the next chapter. So in other words, probably not the best book for me to start my "read a book a month" goal with. 

However, interestingly enough, in chapter 3, she discussed the difference between goals and tasks and it blew my mind. 

"We're happiest when we're creating what we truly want in life, and going out to get it- authentically, compassionately, and consciously. True goals, unlike the onerous items we put on lists and gear ourselves up to accomplish, are actually meant to bring out a childlike excitement in us"

What are your authentic dreams? Use a scale of 1-10 where 1 is "I don't want this" and 10 is "I want it very, very much". The goals the author suggests we take on are ones that are an 8/9/10 on that scale. Those are the ones that will truly transform our lives.

If we aren't excited about a goal, maybe it isn't really a goal at all but a task. One way she suggests discerning a goal from a task is to ask yourself, "will I be relieved when it is done?". If the answer is yes then it's a task, not a goal! When you finish a task you feel relief and people who are "driven" in life have learned to strive for relief, mistaking it for joy.

MIND BLOWN!

When you complete a goal, you feel joy and oftentimes goals require you to wait for results while you focus energy on the target. A real goal takes time to achieve, there is no speedy reward. 

"A goal is a projection of your Life's Intention into physical reality. A goal is a YES not a NO"

Reading the way she describes goals vs tasks and looking at certain "goals" I have set for myself(including reading 1 book a month!), I am realizing that I am great at collecting tasks but not accomplishing goals. Those real goals are in alignment with my standards of integrity and life's intentions(2 things you work through in this book). Sure there are a few, like me completing my Health Coaching training and passing the National Board Exam- that brought me joy(and a bit of relief).  But a LOT of the things I thought I needed to do to build my business and grow as a person have really been tasks. I have found relief when they are done, not joy. 

So the next time you are feeling compelled to create a goal for yourself, stop and think ... is it a goal or a task? Is it really worth spending your time on or is there something else that would be a better use of time and bring you joy? For me, it's going to be a process that I have to unlearn. I have been "driven" for my entire life and honestly am not even sure how to figure out what brings me true joy anymore. 

Does this resonate with you? I would love to hear if any of this sounds familiar. I can't be the only one... can I?!?!? LOL!

OH yeah... and that read one book a month thing... I am dropping that because I can clearly say now that it is a task;)