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This week we talk about how to say good-bye to our goals or an intention that we originally set for ourselves and now, we find that we don’t really want to do it all. Kathlyn and I talk about this from the very practical reality that sometimes we aren’t able to put our attention in too many places all at once and also, that sometimes things just don’t work out the way that we thought they would. So, when is it time to let go of our goals or rather, to decide that we aren’t going to do them anyway? And, what does it say about us that we are going to let go of a goal that we said we were going to accomplish? Being able to let go is a master skill that we can all benefit from learning as we go through the journey that is our life. The big differentiation though is when is it time to let go because we are running into a roadblock that could be temporary or letting go because there just isn’t just any way that we are going to accomplish our goal. Author Seth Godin uses the metaphor of being either in a dip or being in a cul de sac. Well, for us, we need to know the difference. And, there is also a third option which is, we just don’t want to be driving in the first place.

Letting go of a dream that we thought we wanted to accomplish can be difficult for many reasons. First of all, there is that voice in our head that tells us that if we quit, we’re a quitter. We also might get a lot of attention for the goal that we are attempting to accomplish too. Also, we may really love the thing that we are doing but might be imagining it occurring in a limited context. For example, I used to have a dream of being a rock start drummer. Thank goodness I let go of that dream but, I still play the drums and love it. The big deal though is what happens to us when we keep something on our list that we know we just don’t want to do anymore. The truth is, our vitality drops and our engagement with life waxes and wanes. This week we explore the many reasons that we tell us that we can’t let go of a goal and of course, what to do about it. What has it been like for you to let go of a goal? Let us know in the comments section.