New Year's resolutions edition: The Art of Letting Go

The Art of Letting Go

Have you ever felt held hostage by your own dreams?

I am a goal-oriented person - a trait that serves me well when making New Year’s resolutions or when I push for something I really want.

Do you relate?

Have you ever, however, felt trapped by your own dreams?

I have. In fact, I can think of several work and personal examples where I pushed so hard for a goal or dream to come true that I failed to check in with myself to ask whether it was still something I truly wanted - or even needed.

In my end-of-year reading, I came across a passage that made me rethink goal-setting, especially if you’re someone who loves lists, resolutions, and plans.

The full text is below. It also made me think about the Chinese philosophy of Wu Wei (無為), or Shi De: effortless action - letting go in order to gain.

There’s important value in being willing to change your plans as your understanding of the world expands and grows more complex. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself and the people around you is to have the wisdom to know which dreams to let go of in order to make room for something new. Some dreams undoubtedly propel us forward, but others hold us back. The trick is learning to distinguish between the two—and, when you decide an old dream no longer serves you, finding the courage to slip its bonds.

From The Next Day by Melinda French Gates