[2026 March DCTB Mindfulness Tip]
On the Path, we are always beginning again, and again. Every moment is brand new. Yet as humans, we are goal oriented. We seem to need completion. Whenever we hit a milestone or finish a project, our brain rewards our achievement with dopamine – the feel good chemical. This leads us to chase more goals, so we can receive the next dose. A little secret is the brain doesn’t really care what the goal is – it simply needs the sense of completion in order to release the sensation of pleasure. Knowing this, we utilize goals on Path of Awakening to tap into our body’s natural support and keep us moving deeper into Light.
One of the most wonderful parts of being human is our ability to dream up new adventures for ourselves. In addition to the pleasure of completion, goals also give us something tangible to observe as we shift and change. They ground our spiritual development in the physical. Sometimes these are small goals, and other times they are life-altering jumps.
Once we pull our dreams out of idea-land and turn them into step by step goals, we will surely run into a series of obstacles. As we stare down these obstructions, we are faced with the question: how do we overcome them?
The bigger the goal, the more we have to allow ourselves to change into the person who can achieve that goal. So the question becomes not about the obstacles blocking the goal, but rather: Who is the person who overcomes this challenge?
We can use our imagination to dream into being the type of person who has achieved the goal. Once we have in mind who could do it, we ask: Is that who I want to be? If yes, then we can visualize ourselves as that person, begin to emulate the traits of this new persona, and act in accordance with those traits. The obstacles and the goal serve as a container in which to test out this new way of being in the physical world.
If it is not someone we want to be, we contemplate what is standing in the way. Sometimes our ego uses resistance to stop us from transforming. Other times we fall into the trap of picking goals that reinforce who we already are. In either case, it is fear trying to prevent us from exploring our potential. It could be that the goal is correct, but the fear of transformation is blocking us – so in this case, the path of growth is to stick with the goal. On the other hand, it’s possible the goal is inappropriate because achieving the goal would not lead to change, in which case it is time for a new goal. We can answer that question of resistance only for ourselves.
When it is time for a new goal, we release the old goal and give ourselves a sense of completion. That release triggers our brain to shower us with dopamine. This is a vital step to remember! Performing a goal release ritual for when you change direction is what frees us to begin again with a clean slate.
A simple release ritual is to write the goal on a piece of paper, cross it out, and then throw out the paper. This may seem silly, but doing a physical action that represents completion sends a signal to your brain that you are done with the goal. Of course, play with this and develop a completion ritual that works for you.
The whole purpose of the game of turning dreams into goals and transforming ourselves into the achiever of those goals is not to create any specific thing. The point is the process itself. It is the process that allows us to grow past our prior programming. When we do it enough times, we realize we are not any particular way … we begin to recognize that we are infinite Light in a finite form.
Every Solstice and Equinox, we are reminded of the opportunity to begin again. These are the perfect points in time to check in with goals and progress and remind ourselves of the purpose of these goals. After all, it is easy to get lost in the doing and forget what we are! With the near arrival of Spring, take some time to explore if you are on track with planting what you want to grow in your life and with your practice. Ask: is the person who achieves this goal who I want to be right now?
This question allows us to break free of the cycle of goal chasing. It reminds us of the real purpose of our goals: to tame and refine our attention so we can experience our true nature as the pure and perfect Light of Awareness.
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