Aimlessness
The other day I wrote that aimlessness — a state in which one is not focusing on a specific mission or goal — is a costly and harmful state to be in.
I realize now that this take was too simplified.
Aimlessness is not an inherently bad thing. Too much of it can certainly get in the way of accomplishing goals, but I’m realizing it’s also possible not have enough of it.
To nap is, in a sense, to be aimless. So is daydreaming, getting lost in a city, and reading a book not because it informs some broader objective, but just because.
Yet most would be hard pressed to conclude that any of these activities are bad.
A little diversion here and there, a break from from the scheduled programming of getting things done, is probably good for the soul.
Yes, it’s a chance to rejuvenate but, beyond that, it’s also a reminder that not every waking moment of life needs to be spent tirelessly chasing after things to be fulfilled.