There are two types of pursuits in life: those that can be completed and those that will never be finished.
For example, my desire to be a good parent will likely, never be completed. I will contine to grow and improve in this area over the course of my life as the seasons change. Likewise, my desire to be a faithful spouse, a good friend, and a contributing member of society around me.
On the other hand, there are some accomplishments fully completed. I graduated college. I ran a marathon. I wrote a book. I started a business. These desires represent completed goals.
This is a simple reality, but there is irreplaceable joy and opportunity for those who can accurately distinguish between the two. When we continue to pour resources into completed projects, we miss opportunity to direct those resources towards goals that continue.
Unfortunately, in a society built on constant and ever-increasing consumerism, there are countless voices arguing for us to confuse the two.
Consider this, when was the last time you looked at the clothes in your closet and thought, “Yup, that’s enough. I have accumulated enough. I’m done with this pursuit. It is complete.”
Perhaps never, right? This is because the world has told us we will never be finished buying clothes. Even if you have enough in your closet to last you the next 12 months, marketers will continue to convince you that you are not done—that the pursuit of fashionable fabric must continue.
For this reason, we rarely see the pursuit of physical possessions as a desire that can be completed or fully finished. Even if we have accumulated enough, there is still a “better” that we should continue to invest resources in pursuing.
So we look at our existing furniture and think how nice it would be to upgrade this chair or that rug. We desire a larger home, a newer car, a bigger paycheck, a stainless steel fridge, or granite countertop. No matter what we already possess, we seem to always desire more.
Buying things has become a pursuit with no finish line. (tweet that)
But take a look around. Is it possible there’s enough clothing already in your closet? Is there enough furniture already in your house? Is your home sufficient for you and your family? Do your kitchen appliances already meet your needs? Is your car sufficient to get you from Point A to Point B?
And if you already own enough clothing, furniture, or housing, maybe you can begin to see that pursuit as completed.
The next time you have a desire to buy something you don’t need, say to yourself, “Nope. I’m done buying clothes. I already have enough. I have met this desire and I am moving on to something else.”
There is a profound joy and opportunity that accompanies this realization because it allows us to redirect our finite resources towards more important pursuits—those that may never be fully completed.
If I spend less money and time and energy pursuing new clothes, expensive furniture, and more square footage, I have more money and time and energy to spend on being a good father, a faithful husband, and a contributing member of society.
And isn’t that the goal? To excel at the things in life that matter most and to remove those that don’t?
Krista says
What a helpful observation!
Ms. Montana says
So good! It frees up so much mental space when we can check off the box and be done with something. I got to the place with my wardrobe where I just buy things to replace items when they wear out. I walked through Target for the first time in 7 months last week, and didn’t have to think about if I should buy a new item or not. Once I see something that has worn out in my wardrobe, I will toss it out and then remember to find a new one when I am out shopping. There are so many other things, more important things, to spend my time and money on.
Alice says
Thanks. I needed this.
laura ann says
And a great motivating article for a fall purging and donating.
Lowell Hummer says
Have just returned from a weekend exploration of letting go of something. My “thing” was the obligation to keep on going with activities that no longer serve. I was thinking more in terms of not having to finish a book I am not enjoying but this post reminds me of the silliness of chasing after improvements to the already great at the expense of time and energy for living life inside that great home, wardrobe, garden, auto.
Arthur in the Garden! says
Favourite quote: “Buying things has become a pursuit with no finish line.”
Laura Blanton says
I found this to be a particularly interesting read for myself only because I have found myself comforted by the exact opposite conclusion (in the case of one of your examples.) Over the last two years I have practiced a capsule wardrobe, learned a great deal about my personal style, spending habits, consumerism triggers and what my actual wardrobe needs are. I began to feel that there was a ‘moment of arrival’ and I raced to achieve it. Thinking I needed to either buy things to complete it or else stop buying pieces all together. And then I realized that my wardrobe needs would continue to change based on lifestyle needs i.e. preganancy, nursing, postpartum, etc. I realized my pursuit of a ‘complete closet’ fell into the ‘never to be finished’ camp. And that brought a lot of peace into my life and hushed the urge to ‘finish’ it. I noticed myself becoming much more deliberate and calculative about adding things into my life all together.
I think this post is largely about one’s ability to frame (or re-frame) situations we encounter as well as seasons of life we are in to do better to not let ‘stuff’ consume us — and for that I wholeheartedly agree. But I think identifying the difference between acquiring stuff to consume and acquiring stuff (with purpose) to serve an actual purpose in our life is an important distinction to be made here.
Laura Blanton says
I personally have benefited most from a previous post of yours in which you pose the question (before acquiring) “But what if I didn’t?” — to help derive understanding as to what my motivations are for seeking out this “thing” in the first place, as well as to bring to mind my current/actual priorities.
Rosemarie says
Well said. Each choice has an outcome. When we make choices based on our needs at the time with a personal mandate to live well (my choice to live with a more minimalist approach), then there is less anxiety to “finish”. Bearing this in mind, I appreciate Joshua’s posts because he always provides me with a starting point for further evaluation of my present situation.
The Green Swan says
Nice post as always, Joshua! I’ve never thought of goals in terms of completeness in that regard before. I like how you can use that to turn materialism on its head and simply say, “no more”.
I think I follow that philosophy for the most part today, trying to only buy new things to replace broken or worn out items. But I’m sure I can always do better. I’ll have to start using this frame of thought going forward, thanks!
Karen T. says
This is profound, Joshua. Thanks.
Meghan says
I love this!!!
M. says
Is it silly that I only realized there are never-to-be-fulfilled goals and to-be-fulfilled goals when reading this? It changes the perspective so much and brings a sort of peace to this anxiety of feeling like things will never be completed.
Great post, great insight. Thank you!
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Arie says
I also had similar feelings, M.! You’re not the only one.
Such a helpful post, I’ve shared with many friends & family members!
xo
A
http://herfreespirit.net