[gausswho]

I think you have distilled this to an accurate origin. Those who are driven to improve wish to live an intentful life pursuing their explicit goals.

I would however challenge the corollary that that is an objectively more enjoyable life. I find many unhappy friends an colleagues grinding on a path of thejr choosing, to a pace of their own arbitrary selection.

In my experience, I am most happy when I am goal-less, but engaged. Open to happy accidents. Agile to respond to new inspirations. Free of burdens imposed either by others or myself. I pair this with a drive to bring my pursuits to a nice milestone if possible, ideally public like publishing a video. But I allow myself to move on if something doesn't bring joy anymore.

[lacy_tinpot]

I don’t see why goals need to be anything other than what makes you happy. That was kind of the point. Maybe “living with intent” is another way to think about it. But still I think actual goals should be explicit. If not for anything else but to be honest with yourself so that you can live sanely.

So even if things are more free flowing the fact that you accept the consequences and benefits of living that way is still goal oriented, and being productive. Being productive in that way can even be playing video games, so long as it, the act itself, doesn’t interfere with what you want.

Be shameless about what you want!