As intelligent beings, we have two types of goals: Terminal Values/goals, which are things that we want to achieve for intrinsic purposes, and Instrumental valu

As intelligent beings, we have two types of goals: Terminal Values/goals, which are things that we want to achieve for intrinsic purposes, and Instrumental values/goals, which are the signposts we use as we navigate towards our big goal. https://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Terminal_value https://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Terminal_value Figuring out which type your goal is will help you immensely. If it is an instrumental goal, then figuring out how it aligns with your terminal goal will give you the motivation to do it at any cost. If it's a terminal goal, your brain will drive you to get there at any cost, automatically. You may feel overwhelmed, especially since terminal goals can be abstract, so you might try using other people's instrumental goals, and brainstorming your own, and seeing how they fit into your strategy towards achieving your terminal goals. It's particularly helpful if someone has already achieved an instrumental goal, as they can share that information with you so you don't have to figure it out as you piece your path towards your terminal goals.