Got it — here’s a tighter, punchier version that still stirs the pot and invites real debate.

Quit Your Goals. Seriously.

Every productivity guru tells you to set big, specific goals. I’m telling you it’s quietly keeping you stuck.

Here’s why goals are a trap:

1. They manufacture failure. A goal says you’ll be successful later. Until then, you’re in deficit. You’ve turned daily life into a waiting room. And when you finally hit the target? The satisfaction evaporates in days, and you move the goalpost. It’s a happiness treadmill you built yourself.

2. They make you fragile. Ever hit a big milestone and then collapsed? Goals create a “sprint then crash” rhythm. Remove the finish line, and the behavior often crumbles — because you never built a system, just adrenaline.

3. They blind you. Tunnel vision on a goal makes you ignore better opportunities and real signals. I’ve seen founders chase revenue targets right past the evidence that their product doesn’t actually solve a problem.

What works instead: Identity-based systems.

Stop asking “What do I want?” and start asking “Who am I becoming?” Then build tiny daily actions that prove it.

Not “write a book” → Be a writer. 200 words a day, forever.

Not “lose 15 pounds” → Be someone who moves daily and eats like they respect their body.

Not “hit a revenue goal” → Be a company that serves customers so well profit becomes inevitable.

I dropped all outcome goals two years ago. Terrifying at first. Result? Numbers went up more than any goal I would’ve dared to set — and I stopped feeling like I was constantly failing.

Systems beat goals. Every single time.

But I know this triggers ambitious people. We’re addicted to future “arrival.”

So let’s hear it:

Did a big goal ever backfire on you — even after you achieved it?

Am I completely wrong? Are goals non-negotiable for you?

Have you tried identity-based systems and actually seen a difference?

Change my mind in the comments. I’ll be in the thread.

love this

Two more Framer project inquiries today. That's 7 this week. What changed? I stopped calling myself "UI/UX Designer" Started calling myself "Framer Specialist" The inbox before: "What's your hourly rate?" "Can you also do WordPress?" "We're comparing designers" The inbox now: "We need someone who knows Framer" "Can you start next week?" "What's your migration process?" Same skills. Different positioning. Completely different clients. Week 1 of Framer Challenge: Working. The lesson: When you're known for ONE thing, people remember you. When you do everything, nobody calls. What's YOUR one thing?