It Is Not About The Destination, It Is About The Journey
Have you ever realized when you are fully focused on your goal and eventually achieve it, you almost every time first feel excitement and butterflies in your stomach? Interestingly, after a little while, your excitement fades away and you think “That is it?”. “What is next?”. This is a usual roller coaster of my feelings when I reach my goals.
It is late Tuesday and I am busy typing my speech while listening to the chill music. My husband curiously asked: “What are you doing?”. I replied that I was working on my speech which I needed to deliver next Monday. He looked at me with a big smile and said: “You are so organized.” To which I replied: “It is not about being organized, I just love the process, or let’s say the journey of delivering a speech”. I enjoy searching for a theme, re-reading my notes, recoding myself on the phone, and then of course delivering it to my audience. I enjoy the process so much that I am ready to do it regularly even though it increases my heart rate to 112/minute; my normal heart rate is 68:).
Another thing that increases my heart rate is driving. I love driving and speed. Two years ago, we had to renew our kids’ passport at the embassy of my nationality which happened to be we do not have in Canada. So we decided to drive to Washington, DC, in our little Toyota Matrix. Even though I enjoy driving, I was exhausted from the trip. And the reason for that was simple, I was absorbed by my end goal of reaching Washington as soon as possible. As a result, we made only one pit stop during nine hours of driving there. It got worse on our way back — no stop during the long 11 hours. Needless to say that I and my family spent almost 20 hours feeling tired and stressed instead of enjoying the picturesque highways. If only did I know that it is not about the destination but the journey itself…
One day, when I was looking for a quote I came across: “It is not about the destination, it is about the journey”. At that very moment, it stroke me what I was missing — I was missing to enjoy the journey of reaching the goal.
Now, whenever I feel I am losing bliss in the process, I remind myself of the quote I once read “It is not about the destination, it is about the journey”. It has such an impact on my life professionally and personally.
Now, this is how I treat all my road trips!
You’re probably thinking “Why I decided to share this quote and my experience with you? “. It is simply because almost every person on the planet Earth is waiting when the pandemic would end and you and I are not an exception.
Therefore, I urge you to enjoy every hour and minute of your time during this unexpected journey that life sent our way. While it is a challenging one, I am sure, each of us has already found something special and meaningful. Keep onto it and do not let it go since it is an unexpected journey that fills our lives with unique moments, precious feelings, and incredible people.
“It is not about the destination, it is about the journey”.
