The joy of the journey
Sometimes in life we become so focused on where we are heading, that we can forget about being aware of the actual journey. How many times have you set out in the car, focused on arriving at the destination, and when you get there you can’t remember the detail of how you got there? I can tell you personally that has happened many times in my past.
When I think about that I think it is a shame that the enjoyment of the actual journey is lost. How many things have I missed seeing, what did I miss hearing on the radio that may have been enjoyable if I hadn’t been so absorbed in thinking purely about where I would end up.
I think there is a real danger that when we become so focused only on where we are heading in life and work we suddenly realise that we missed out on the experience of the day to day progress. Fighter pilots often call this being target blind.
So, how do we ensure that we can be focused on a clear destination, a set of goals, a target and at the same time enjoy the day to day? For me it’s always about breaking down that big ‘destination goal’ into smaller micro goals. This could be about learning a new skill, developing a new idea or business case, running a little further or faster, or both.
I try to chart progress say weekly and then I really enjoy and celebrate the progress. Some days there may be a slight setback and that’s OK too, for me it’s about learning what works as I go, being prepared to adapt what I do and how I do it to get a better outcome. I often think it’s a lot like a yacht skipper or a pilot setting a navigation plan, charting progress as they go, making small adjustments to take account of changing conditions around them, often finding better, faster ways to get there.
I am very aware how quickly days pass and years too. I make a pledge to myself to make the most of every day, whatever it may bring and do my best to never arrive somewhere blinking and wondering how did I get here. So, I encourage everyone to enjoy the moments that unfold. Reaching the destination is very satisfying and the journey that gets us there should be a lot of fun too.
Have a good weekend wherever you are in our world. Keep safe and well.