True Self Goals vs. Negative Mind Goals

When you’re setting goals, it’s sometimes hard to know whether they’re coming from your true self or your negative mind. 

The reality is that your goals contain elements of both, just like you as a person contain elements of both. 

Basically, your true self is the best version of who you are. It’s the part of you that feels emotions like unconditional love, acceptance, courage, and joy. 

Meanwhile, your negative mind (a.k.a. your survival mind) is rooted in your neurologically-driven survival instinct. It shows up in the form of feelings like anxiety, judgment, and dependency.

In light of these two selves, how can you tell the difference between a true self goal and a negative mind goal? And why does that difference matter?

True Self vs. Negative Mind Goals

The difference between true self and negative mind goals isn’t always black and white. 

For example, let’s say you want to write a great book. This goal could fit into either category. 

If your goal is to write the Great American Novel so everyone will know how talented and intelligent you are, that’s a negative mind goal. How do you know? 

Negative mind goals are usually based on a desire for prestige, fame, and/or wealth. The assumption behind them is that somehow you’re not enough. 

Negative mind goals tie your happiness and fulfillment to external events or accomplishments, whether it’s writing the Great American Novel, making a certain amount of money, or getting a job at company X.

On the other hand, true self goals start from the assumption that you’re already whole and complete, no matter what you accomplish. 

Going back to our example, if you want to write a book because you feel moved to tell a particular story and you love the writing process itself, these are signs that the goal is coming from your true self. 

The Power in True Self Goals 

It may seem like a contradiction, but once you understand that your identity doesn’t depend on your achievements, you free yourself to go after what you really want.

Instead of making you feel desperate, like you have to achieve something, a true self goal makes you feel inspired to go after it. And when you’re feeling inspired, it’s much easier to make good things happen in your life. 

Ultimately, the aim is to ground your goals primarily in your true self. Again, some negative mind elements might creep in as you’re setting and moving toward your goals. 

But if you consciously connect your goals with emotions like joy, courage, love, and self-acceptance, you’ll continue to feel motivated to pursue what you truly want.

Do you want to learn more about how to clear a path toward your goals? In my new book, Life Launch, I give you additional guidance on how to identify—and stick with—your true self goals and create a roadmap to the life you want. Download a sample chapter here.