Emily Dickinson"s "The Goal" discusses her theory that each human being lives each day striving to obtain one specific goal. She theorizes that each individual longs to fulfill one specific achievement whether "expressed" to others or is "still" l. 2 and locked into the individual"s heart. Dickinson says that it is an inevitable part of human nature to live this way, whether we believe so or not, and have not been able to recognize the specific theme of our life as it is "admitted scarcely to itself" l. 5. She speculates that we attempt to cover our ambitions from others...
work and be inspired and more enabled to achieve their goal because of our quest.

She also mentions that our ultimate reward for living a determined, focused life will be when we die, having achieved our goal or not, because "eternity enables the endeavoring again" l. 19-20. Whether you interpret this last line to mean that your earthly desire will be fulfilled coincided with spiritual fulfillment and enlightenment, or that the grandeur of heaven will be so magnificent that your seemingly unattainable goal in life will appear petty, Dickinson is successful in her attempts to encourage others to greatness.