Goals

As I move through my life I have always been told that goals are important. This has occasionally perturbed me. As far as I remember, I have NEVER set a goal that hasn't been forced on me by an external force like an employer. I have read at least a dozen books or long-form articles about setting goals and I still don't really understand them.

In most of them, the author writes of deciding what you want/need or what would make you happy. My issue is that I am happy; at least as happy as I can imagine being. Also, most things I want are just ephemeral "toys" or gadgets.

Of course, the whole process is fairly moot since I doubt I would have the self-discipline to accomplish a goal anyway.