iconoclast article 008

setting goals 

Life, whether we like it or not revolves around goals. Both our needs and wants come from a goal-oriented place whether it be genuine survival or getting ourselves what we want. Our goals serve as both motivational and challenging endeavors depending on the circumstances. 

At a young age, we are usually distracted by what society has filled the world with especially in the smartphone era. 

There can be a need for more interest in goal-setting or knowing what we want to devote our time to. This reality is fairly acceptable, seeing that big corporations allow us to live digital lives while profiting monetarily through users’ time. 

Meeting the goals we feel connected to can only come from acknowledging that we live in a society that influences us to value short-term gratification way more than the long-term. With acceptance of this reality, we can then further ourselves a bit more by consciously seeking individual solitude within the mind. This time alone can be looked upon negatively since corporations want us to post every detail of our lives and “stay connected”. There simply isn’t enough time to consume unnecessary levels of content online and prioritize the important goals of real life. We can attempt to balance the two although it’s like being at work half-concentrated on what we are there to do and having an unnecessary time-consuming conversation which most likely brings no value. 

By the time we get to high school, our brains are at the point where any distraction is viable for concentration and actual value becomes meaningless. Between the ages of 16 and 24 are so important for saving ourselves the time that corporations are extracting from us. Setting goals as a young person is only valuable. There will be plenty of sacrifices when setting goals at any age. There will be people in our lives who come and go, there will be opportunities that meet our eyes in the short term although offer no value in the long term, and there will always be individuals who see the potential in our efforts and despise us. 

It’s fairly easy to tell ourselves that we don’t have any goals or aspirations although this doesn’t have to be what defines us. Deliberate practice goes a long way, deliberately spending time alone and asking ourselves the big questions is a start. We all have a purpose. 

The fear of setting goals or achieving great things for ourselves can influence our thinking patterns just as easily, bad experiences in the past can bring a bad nostalgia that we sometimes work so hard to grow from. 

Iconoclast, GCM is a brand for all ages although we emphasize our message and mission to individuals born after 1997. If this article hits home and you are a part of the Generation Z collective we encourage you to stay strong through the journey of life. We should take the time to consciously seek solitude, ask ourselves what we want then eliminate the unnecessary.