01/20/2026
Goal orientation and soft eyes 👁
Whether you are planning out your new year goals or chipping away at work deadlines, consider the role that your eyes play.
There are six muscles that control eye movement and position, along with an optic nerve that carries visual data to the brain.
Many people try to focus on goals from the front of their eyes. This creates a lot of unnecessary strain for the muscles of your eyes and doesn't actually help you focus.
The front of your eyeballs are like windows, just passively perceiving the world around you. The actual work to focus your vision takes place in the very back of the eyeballs, deep inside, below the surface.
So when you need to be goal oriented, try settling back into your brain, rather than straining to look forward into the world - as if you could reach that goal visually. Because in reality, you can't achieve your goals with your eyes alone. You need to move towards your goals with the whole of yourself.
The next time you are under stress, soften your gaze, settle into yourself, and wait for the visual information to come into your eyes.
You don't need your eyes to keep track of six things at once! After all, if you were blind, you could still keep track of six things at once.
If you would like to discover just how soft and perceptive your eyes can be, drop into my online Feldenkrais class on January 29 for an eye lesson.
