Practicing without goals

I have a feeling that our capitalist culture of the 21st century has embedded us with the belief that whatever we do, we must set goal, have a target, and set a course of action that will make us successful in reaching that goal. In Theravada Buddhism, some may have a goal of becoming a stream enterer, a non-returner, or an arahant. Mahayana Buddhists, with my limited knowledge, have a goal of becoming a future Buddha and helping all beings with full compassion. 

But are things like... having a goal, setting a timeline, measure success and failure by monitoring our progress toward achieving the goal or milestones... counter the practice of Buddhism?

Shouldn't we practice simply to let go, be mindful of both wholesome and unwholesome thoughts and conducts and let them go? In vipassana, shouldn't we simply observe the mind, body, and what we call "our physical world", etc, and see if their true natures are simply anicca, dukkha, anatta? If any attainments will come, they will simply come when the time is right, when we have practiced enough along the right path...

Perhaps we can practice in a more relaxed manner without setting any goals.