Embrace the Journey
Every day is full of new challenges. How do you face these?
If you’re goal-oriented, you create a destination that solves the challenge, lays out the steps, and you work to get there. This might seem successful at first glance, but it doesn’t take into account what happens to you along the way or how the right mindset impacts the outcome. When you switch your mindset to think more about how you embrace the journey, about who you are becoming on the journey, you see the most genuine success.
Let's examine three key truths to long lasting success in your life:
Life Changes without Warning
You already know this. If you’re like most people, you’ve already had your fair share of last-minute disasters. Remember the vacation which was spoiled entirely by sickness? Or the sudden out-of-town guest who just showed up at the worst possible time? The problem with being goal-oriented is you’re very rarely prepared when the unexpected happens and you don’t have the flexibility to roll with the punches.
If you are someone who embraces the journey, your experience is going to be very different. By living in the moment, you’re more able to go with the flow. You know how to adapt and to adjust to interruption. You’re also more prepared to let go of the original goal and to set a new one. This sounds a lot calmer, doesn’t it?
It’s Easy to Miss Out
There is nothing sadder than lost opportunities and failed relationships. If you’re fixated on the future (which happens when you are too goal-oriented), you aren’t present in the moment. This means you might be hesitating when you discover a new opportunity rather than exploring if it is a good move.
For many goal oriented people it seems best to finish the current goal before starting another. Often pushing through a problem rather than looking at other options creates tunnel vision. The problem is that often the new opportunity might not stick around long enough. By the time you are ready to address it, it’s gone.
But the worse aspect of goal-oriented behavior is it becomes too easy to make personal sacrifices to get ahead. This usually translates to time lost with your significant other or your children. It often means you give up self-care and drive yourself beyond healthy limits. Can you live with this?
You Need to Know What’s Worthwhile
Here’s a quick hint: It’s not about your bank account. Of course, when you are looking at the goal, you fixate on the final outcome. You keep score in the only way which makes sense, in power or dollars and cents. When you embrace the journey, you understand mindfulness, you learn to find the joy in every moment. You know the best things are what you savor about every day. You enjoy the people around you and the new adventures. Life isn’t measured in your bank account but by your happiness.
Looking at these key truths, it’s no wonder it’s important not to lose yourself in the goal, especially when the journey gives you so much more. The question is how do you make that shift to create a balance between the goals you need and the journey that acknowledges who you are and what brings you happiness along the way.
