“If you have no goals, everything you do is success.” - from the Daodejing, Chapter 22.

Yesterday I talked with a young man who was looking for a job.  He went to great lengths explaining how he has all his goals and ambitions in order.

It caused me to reflect on just how different the Daoist philosophy is.  The Western evolution of thoughts tells us if we don’t set goals, we must be lazy.  If we don’t set goals, we will never get anywhere.  If we don’t have ambition, we never reach our full potential.

It’s not an issue of right or wrong, it’s strictly a difference of philosophy.  For example:

The daoist would say:  “If there were no laws, everyone would become honest.”

The Western view is: “If there were no laws, there would be chaos.”

The daoist believes that order is a property of being and will exist naturally.  The Western view is that order must be created and maintained.

This is consistent with difference of perspective on action.  The daoist view is that things will happen of their own accord, and things that occur naturally are to be desired more than things which come about because of your will.  Contrarily, the Western philosophy is that we must be in control of our own destiny and forge our way through life through regular planning and hard work.

The daoist is not lazy.  He just does his work and goes home.  He is not discontent because he has no desire.  He has not failed because he has done only what comes naturally.

I don’t disagree that this is a very difficult concept to grasp in a culture where all that you know and have been taught is in opposition to it.  In a society which is driven by it’s desires to consume, suggesting that “less is more” will most likely cause others to casually dismiss you rather than consider what you’ve said.

I focused my attention back onto the young man who was still listing all of the plans he has for his future and smiled at him.  I didn’t mention where my thoughts has been.

I was content to be thankful that I didn’t bear the burden of so many goals.