One day, the sage met with his disciples in a weekly gathering. They reported their cultivation progress to him and outlined their goals for the upcoming week.

When they were done, one of the disciples spoke up: "Master, do we really need to have goals? Shouldn't Tao cultivation follow the natural path? Why bother with the artificial contrivance of definition and planning? Why not simply proceed with no expectations at all, and nothing set in stone, and allow the goals to emerge naturally, at just the right time?"

The sage said: "Interesting point. Let us discuss it in a moment. For now, I would like to let everyone know that my good friend Sifu Wong, the expert archer known as Bai Bu Shen Jian, will be visiting in a few days to study the Tao with us."

Excitement rippled through the gathering. Bai bu meant "a hundred paces." The disciples knew that Sifu Wong earned his title because he never missed targets as far as a hundred paces away. Then the sage said: "To make this visit more interesting, I will challenge him to an archery contest."

This surprised everyone. Although the Sage was a well-known practitioner of Tai Chi, he had no special expertise with any weapons, much less the bow and arrow.

"I know what you are all thinking," said the sage. "The legendary Bai Bu Shen Jian defeats experienced archers with ease, so how can I hope to be a match for him? I am quite confident because I have figured out a secret technique that will enable me to win. Does anyone know what I am referring to?"

One disciple was quick to respond: "Master, I have read that if you empty your mind of all distractions and become one with the arrow, you will be able to hit difficult targets. Is this the secret technique?"

"Good guess, but no. Does anyone else have a guess?"

Another disciple spoke up: "Master, years ago a Kung Fu expert told me that if you control your breathing and shoot the arrow between breaths, you will attain incredible accuracy. Is this your secret technique?"

"No, that's not it either," the sage smiled. "My secret technique is that I will blindfold Sifu Wong, spin him around a few times, and hide his target behind a tree. In this manner I will guarantee my victory."

The disciples burst out laughing, and the sage continued: "We can all agree that it would be impossible for even the best archer in the world to hit anything if he doesn't know where the target is. This is so basic to the Tao of archery that even small children understand it without being taught. So, the question for today is this: Why should the Tao of life be any different?"

The sage is right. Life is in fact not so different from archery. Without targets, the bow and arrow cannot serve the purpose for which they were made. If we try to learn archery without anything to shoot at, there would be no way for us to assess our skill level. The lack of targets will also make it impossible for us to practice, and without practice we cannot hope to improve.

It is the same with life. Without goals, we would not be able to fulfill the purpose for which we were created. Our manifestation in the physical world would be devoid of meaning. We would have no way to assess where we are in our overall level of spirituality, nor would we be able to apply the Tao in order to better ourselves.

Tao cultivators recognize that not all goals are in accordance with the Tao. Just as a sadistic archer may choose to shoot at animals or even human beings for his "target practice" and take pleasure in causing pain, it is also possible for people to have goals that are harmful - goals that may be inspired by greed, malice, or hatred. Therefore, just as true masters of archery set up the shooting range with care, real Tao cultivators also set personal goals with careful consideration.

Some of us may find the sage's teaching contrary to their understanding of the Tao. Their thinking can be represented by the disciple who spoke up. Shouldn't the Tao be the very opposite of the hectic emphasis on achievements in the West? Why do we have to aim for any particular goal at all? Why not simply go off in a random direction, just for the fun of it? Would that not be closer to the carefree spirit of the Tao?

The archery metaphor can help us understand. Aside from the realization that shooting randomly will not make us better shots, we also have to take another factor into consideration. We do not live in isolation, and our choices of action or inaction carry consequences. If we fire off arrows in random directions, we may inadvertently cause damage or even hurt someone. When we apply this to life, it tells us to live in a way that is mindful and directed. Our energies and potentials in life are a powerful force. Wielding this force thoughtlessly can indeed be harmful, not just to ourselves, but also to others. Thus, we have a responsibility to channel it in a constructive and purposeful way.

When we first hear of the idea that we should let go of goals and allow everything to proceed naturally, we may think that it sounds like from the Tao Te Ching. However, if we were to actually study the text, we would see that Lao Tzu has nothing against goals. For instance, in chapter 64, Lao Tzu says:

A tower of nine levels
Starts from the dirt heap
A journey of a thousand miles
Begins beneath the feet

Reaching the destination of the journey and completing the construction of the tower are both goals. The lesson here is all about achieving goals in small increments, not doing without them. This parallels our understanding that we can achieve greater mastery of the bow and arrow by practicing regularly. Every practice session brings us a bit closer to being able to hit a target at a hundred paces with flawless precision. In that respect, it is like one step in the journey of a thousand miles, or one brick in the construction of the high tower.

As the sage points out, this is the Tao of life. Daily practice of cultivation is the key to mastery of spirituality and everything else. Tao cultivators who really understand this are powerful individuals indeed, because to them no task is too big or too difficult. They have the ability to turn their dreams and grand visions into reality.

The misconception about goals may have originated from a basic mistake. In authentic teachings of the Tao, we learn that if we become too attached to a goal, we can trip over ourselves and sabotage our own progress. Therefore, it would be best for us to let go of any obsessions or expectations about the end result. We should direct our focus and awareness to the process at hand, so we can enjoy the journey in the present moment. This allows the task to proceed naturally to completion.

Now we can see where the language barrier may have introduced distortions. What we need to give up is the obsessive grasping, rather than the goals themselves. We let everything proceed naturally not through inactive passivity, but with active participation in the process without worrying too much about the final score.

When we understand the authentic teaching clearly, we can see that goals are very much part of the Tao. We can use them skillfully for our benefit; there is no need to let them go or give them up. We can also see that the Tao Te Ching is actually a manual for living life. It gives us clear instructions, not necessarily to relax or let go – that's the popular misconception – but to move toward success in a way that is free from strife and needless struggles. Let us put them to use as we pull open the bow of determination and let loose the arrow of intent. Just like the expert archer, we too will hit the bull's-eye in the target of life at a hundred paces!
 

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