Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World

by Anne-Laure Le Cunff

Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live. — Mae Jemison, American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut

As journalist Amil Niazi put it: “No goals, just vibes.”

Kairos captures what the traditional view of productivity ignores—that the value of time depends on the situation. Once-in-a-lifetime opportunities can sometimes feel less important than reading a bedtime story to a child. Spending time alone may become more vital than going out with friends. And of course there are all the unexpected disruptions. A sudden emergency may trump long-planned social events. You may fall sick exactly as you finally manage to find time for a hobby you care about. A trusted collaborator may leave right before a launch, upending your carefully laid plans.