Many creative heroines have no idea who they are, what they want out of life, where they are going, or what their passion is. Afraid to limit their options, their lives become a series of compromises and unplanned events. They are spinning out of control and feel powerless to stop it.  They have zigzagged their way through life, trying this and that.  Hey, I had fun, they will tell you. But deep down they feel regret. They tried to grab at it all, and came up empty handed.

Lack of direction

This happens to Julie in the beginning of Julie & Julia. You can waste a lot of time and energy going in the wrong direction. In meantime, your career and personal life can get way off course.

Forced compromise

You wake up one day and realize your life has been a series of compromises, a series of unplanned events. As a result you are in a job or business you don’t really like or are not suited for, afraid to change.

Untapped talent

Without goals you can easily get caught up in the current of life, swept away by an endless stream of details. You always seem to be paddling against the current in a a battle between finding time to be creative and getting things done. Once you get off course, it can be very hard to find your way back.

Boredom

Not having a mission in life, a passion, a purpose for your talents and creativity, is the one thing most lacking in many lives. Without it, life can become dull, empty and uninspiring.

Powerlessness/Cynicism

I have heard people describe their lives as if they were passengers in a car, watching life whiz by while looking out the window. They feel powerless, and blame everyone and everything for their lack of success, time, happiness, finances, whatever. They blame the government, the economy, reviewers, traffic, foreign competition and on and on. Until you take responsibility for your own success, happiness and time, you remain a victim.

Value conflict 

When your values and your achievements don’t align, at best you end up with hollow victories. At worst, you become depressed, angry, or resentful. If you value integrity, you can’t afford to lie and cheat to get what you want. If you say you want to start a business but you squander your start up capital it might be time to look at your values again.

Regret

Do you go zigzagging through life, jumping at any opportunity that sounds interesting or fun? After years of doing this, you are likely to realize that you have nothing to show for the past decade. This will leave you unhappy, unfulfilled, unsuccessful – because you tried to live without goals.