What type of life would a person live if they had no aim or goal?

A boring, and depressing life. Such a life is one without meaning. And it means the person has little self actualization.

Such lives generally result in a lot of substance abuse as a means of distracting them from their lot.

A shitty one. But some people enjoy a life like that, or at least are so ignorant that they don’t know there’s anything else out there. This is the life most of the people I know live. My husband and I are so vastly different from the people around us. Me, especially. I don’t have these big dreams of being a surgeon or a famous musician or something, but I do know what kind of life I want and I’m working hard to achieve that. Having ambition and direction in life is important to me and I will do what I can to make sure it’s important to my future children. I’ll be damned if I’m going to stand by and let them live the trailer park paycheck-to-paycheck shitty relationship-having life that so many people around here settle for.

Aimless.

A life with with an open attitude towards whatever comes their way, perhaps. Doesn’t necessarily have to be shitty just because one doesn’t work out a plan or even recipe for their own life. The world is filled with endless possibilities, why decide on something specific?

A Buddhist life.

I agree with @tups.
Well if one was independently wealthy I’d say a pretty free life.
Goals and ambition are over rated IMO. SOME goal setting and discipline is healthy, but, all in all…goals and ambition are man made constructs of modern society.

I could happily live freely in a Walden Pond scene, as I was able to do for many years and not feel one bit of guilt or remorse.
Humans are meant to be human BEINGS not human DOINGS. Our world is set up that we are forced to be doing much more than we are allowed to simply be.
Sure, I’d set goals…like when to plant my garden, the best time of day to take a stroll with my geese and watch the sunset.

When I’d be putting in next years seed crop and hay crop, and firewood.
Where to dig my Koi pond, duck and goose pond, the best spot for my bamboo forest, the coolest landscaping to enhance my eden.
What to cook for a fabulous dinner party with friends, what cool artistic adventure I wanted to explore next. You get the idea.

I have already led a pretty unconventional life and am the type of personality that rejects extreme structure and being a cog in the wheel of the machine.
I’ll build my own machine thank you very much. lol

Content.

gotta agree with @Coloma

Circumstances of my life that I can’t control have put me in somewhat of a situation such as this. I mostly try to live in “the day”. Meaning, when I wake up, I have in mind what I want to do with my day. Sometimes it’s pretty aimless. Sometimes there are mini goals. I don’t have ideas really where I want to be in a year, 5 years, ten or more. When I was younger I had those, but in the end most of them didn’t happen or went sour. I am not saying one shouldn’t have goals. Everyone is different. For me, I try and take it as it comes.

@Coloma human beings and not human doings… I like that. It’s very true.
All this goal setting, career-oriented life racing is a modern, Western invention and not the only way for a life to be lived.

This question makes me think of Ryokan, a Japanese monk/poet who lived 200 years ago. He wrote this:

First days of spring…..blue sky, bright sun.
Everything is gradually becoming fresh and green.
Carrying my bowl, I walk slowly to the village.
The children, surprised to see me,
Joyfully crowd about, bringing
my begging trip to an end by the temple gate.
I place my bowl on top of a white rock and
Hang my sack from the branch of a tree.
Here we play with the wild grasses and throw a ball.
For a time, I play catch while the children sing;
Then it’s my turn.
Playing like this, here and there, I have forgotten the time.
Passers-by point and laugh at me, asking,
“What is the reason for such foolishness?”
No answer I give, only a deep bow;
Even if I replied, they would not understand.
Look around! There is nothing besides this.

@thorninmud Beautiful.

I do the minimum to get by. No wife or kids. And I loathe the thought of having either. I make enough that I don’t really worry about money.

Fuck, I spent a few hours at the park throwing some old hoagie rolls to ducks this morning. Feed ducks, read a book, grilled cheese and beer for lunch.

Fuck having kids, car, wife, and cable bill. I live well on 1k a month.

I find it hard to believe that most people don’t have some kind of goal – keep the house clean, kids feed, be CEO. It may not meet society’s standards, but really, as long as they are doing no harm, it’s not our business.

I think the effectiveness of goal setting is determined by personality type. Some folks thrive when they have a set, step by step plan in front of them and others feel suffocated and trapped.

I’m for living in the moment. I am never more miserable than when I’m planning for a future that hasn’t happened yet based on a past I can’t change.

@Gabby101 :: I think we might be defining goals differently. I keep a tidy apartment. But I have no interest in being a CEO.

My lack of professional life allows my to pursue things I actually care about. Like books and nerding on computers. Life is good when you really don’t have to worry about anyone else.

I have no ambition whatsoever. I work because I need to not because I want to. In my home life though, I work very hard, to keep a nice home.

A life of contentment.

I think our goals change as we age. I used to be very goal driven toward things like career, money and living a certain life. Now I have other goals like eating better, becoming well and finding love as in friendship love.

I do feel though, one should have a purpose. A purpose to my mind is a passion that needs to be lived before you die.

@LornaLove Yep, but…“purpose” is ever changing, there is no fixed purpose.
Reasons and seasons and all that jazz.

My kinda life. Living in the moment and rolling with the punches.

Not all who wander are lost.