It's about the Journey
How often do you think you’ve accomplished something, you’re done, you can check the box, delete it from your list; only to realize that things change, updates need to be made, and there is no such destination? I don’t know about you, but I see this on a daily basis.
Our human nature is that we want to arrive somewhere, experience the thrill of success, then move on. Think about dieting. I happen to believe that a diet is a way of life; a system of eating, not a temporary thing we do to lose weight. It’s on ongoing journey, a new method of traveling.
In my 20 years in the financial world, the same thing applies. Your financial plan or financial well-being is not achieved when you pay someone to put together a plan for you. It's also not achieved when you make oodles of money. In fact, in both cases, this is only the beginning of the journey. Your success comes from a new method of traveling; a way of being, a commitment to specific principles that will guide your decisions. Having a plan is not a destination; it’s an early step in the journey.
How about happiness? We all want to be happy. Is happy something that we strive and work to become? Is there a series of steps to achieving happiness and once you’ve arrived, you’re good? Nope! You can't control the events that happen to you or around you, but you can control your response. And in most cases, your response will determine your outcome, as well as your happiness. Like the other examples, happiness is a method of traveling; a decision on a way to travel; not a destination.
I believe success falls into the same category. Most of us think of success in terms of financial riches. We think it’s something we will eventually achieve. But what if there’s more to success than that? Might we all define success differently? For some it may be money, for others perhaps raising productive children, or positively impacting someone else’s life. Or, what if success is primarily a state of mind? Something we can decide to become?
If you take a moment to think about how you define success, what will come to mind? What will you right down? Make a list, then look at what’s on the list. How many of the things are far off destinations? How many are simply decisions you need to make that are merely an intentional method of traveling?
We all want to check boxes and be done with things. However, some of the most important things are ongoing journeys, not just a destination, and ought to be treated as such. When you embark on a journey, be prepared. And choose wisely your travel companions – as they can make or break your traveling experience!
What other things can you think of that are journeys, not destinations? Please share; I’d love to hear them!
Cheers!
RyP
