# How to Set the Right Goals in Life

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/office-hours-with-arthur-brooks-7443626/how-to-set-the-right-goals-in-life
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/office-hours-with-arthur-brooks-7443626/how-to-set-the-right-goals-in-life.md
Podcast: [Office Hours with Arthur Brooks](https://stenobird.com/podcast/office-hours-with-arthur-brooks-7443626)
Published: 2026-01-19T12:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/arthurbrooks/episodes/How-to-Set-the-Right-Goals-in-Life-e3din0p
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/APO4591212860.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/office-hours-with-arthur-brooks-7443626/episodes/how-to-set-the-right-goals-in-life
Duration seconds: 2539

## Resource

Most of us know that we should set goals, but there is a lot of confusion about why they matter and how to choose them well. In this episode of Office Hours, I reflect on the difference between meaning and purpose, and on how the goals we pursue quietly shape the direction of our lives. I talk about why some goals leave us feeling empty even when we achieve them, and what it means to aim our lives toward something that truly matters. My hope is that this episode invites you to pause, think about your goals in life, and consider whether the path you are on is leading you where you want to go. — Brought to you by: • ⁠ David Protein ⁠ —The most effective portable protein on the planet ⁠http://www.davidprotein.com/arthur⁠ — Where to find Arthur Brooks: • Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://arthurbrooks.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/arthurbrooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠officehours@arthurbrooks.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (05:00) The three components of meaning (08:14) Big goals, and why most of us are not Mother Teresa (09:55) Proxy goals, and how they can lead us to feel more purpose (13:16) Jung’s philosophy on good goals (14:42) An extrinsic motivation (17:20) Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation (19:14) Goals based in avoidance (21:34) Positional goals (24:33) Foc…

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