Journey: Why Is It Something No-one Talks About?

Uphill Journey of Life

If you’re driving uphill you can’t do it in third gear. It has got to be slow, is bound to be effortful, and oftentimes depending on the terrain and weather; it might seem daunting. If you accelerate too much, you’ll undeniably waste fuel. You might get worked up and may even slide backwards, downhill with the stress. No positive outcome.

We all seek happy endings and we want them fast. We place heightened focus on sequels, destinations, and end results. In the process we fail to pay heed to the journey of life and the happiness it could bring us every day. Every step of the journey is itself a new destination. Tomorrow exists in our imagination. Before we know it, it turns into today. Unfortunately, few of us realize that, and deceptively the journey, which is what we traverse today, appears invalid.

The journey isn’t as much about reaching anywhere, as it is about realizing who you are, and becoming who you were always meant to be.

- Shefali Batra

Journey of Life vs. Destination

When you set out to accomplish goals, the gap between where you are and where you want to be can be wide. The distance is a motivator. Imagine if you aspired to lose 7 kilos of weight in 5 months. The gap could encourage you to set an exercise routine, monitor your diet and change your lifestyle. There will be obstacles, highs and lows, rewards, accomplishments, excitement, and occasional letdowns too.

Your journey is 5 months long and the goal will be a flash of a moment when you accomplish your target. What matters more? How would it be if along the journey you were complaining, resentful and miserable about the dietary restrictions and the arduousness of the exercise routine? And the way your life changed to accommodate this plan? Would the end result leave you content or resentful? And will you even stick to your resolve further down?

If you really look at life, it is a journey whose final destination is death. Does the destination matter more or the journey? What’s getting your focus today?

- Shefali Batra

Love the Journey of Life

The time you take to meet your target is best if used tastefully and mindfully. Whatever the goal – fitness, financial, relationship, or career; enjoy the process that leads you there. Get the material equipment, non-material skills and the right attitude; find a companion, mentor, guide, whatever it takes. And enjoy the journey. Spending time on the process also maps out obstacles and potential hurdles. In fact, only focusing on the destination (final goals) can be discouraging because it sometimes seems impossible. And that could lead to stress. A beautiful journey is a reward and stress buster in itself. It can be so attractive that the destination gets met as a by-product.

When you have reached the summit, you can pick a higher mountain to climb. And then another. And one day you in the 7th decade of life. Plenty of journeys and many destinations too. What will matter then? The learning and personal growth that happened along the way, connections you made, the lives you touched and skills you imbibed in that time.

focus on the journey and not only the goals

Ask the Right Questions

If you ask the wrong questions, it’s likely you’re going to get inaccurate answers. And these will shape the path your life takes. Ask yourself these questions the next time you set out to do something that you feel is essential or important to you, but is wracking your nerves with apprehension.

Questions: Purpose

  • Why is this so important to me?
  • What do I really want from this?
  • Am I doing this for someone else?
  • Do I like whatever it is I’m doing?
  • Do I truly want to be part of this?
  • Is it enriching my larger purpose?

Questions: Happiness

  • Is this going to make me happy?
  • If it’s not done, will I be unhappy?
  • Will doing this make a difference?
  • What if it doesn’t get done at all?
  • Why is this making me anxious?
  • Can I be happy where I am now?

Reflections About the Journey

When you achieve goals and meet standards, you are never the same being you started out as. What you learn along the way, the hurdles you cross, the obstacles you overcome, the relationships you build, and the patience you inculcate; are large rewards. These are yours to stay. You don’t need incentives anymore. Because you’ve risen higher in Maslow’s hierarchy. Look back only to make the journey of life ahead, better.

Ask yourself

  • What did I learn through this?
  • Did I enjoy whatever it is I did?
  • Can I make it better next time?
  • Did I face obstacles on my way?
  • Did I deal with hurdles suitably?
  • What hard lessons did I gather?
  • Did I grow through this process?

Tell yourself

  • Whatever I did, I’m an achiever
  • I love what I do, so I enjoyed it
  • I can and will always do better
  • I need to master the art of combat
  • I’m learning to take care of myself
  • Life teaches me lessons every day
  • I am always learning and growing

“When you focus on the destination, your satisfaction is limited to a point in time. If it’s about the journey, the happiness is spread over a larger span of time. Then, every single day will count.”

- Shefali Batra

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