Are You Overlooking the Journey for the Sake of Results?

Some say my husband and I are serious and composed individuals. However, if you were to see us at home or while traveling, the story would be much different. We laugh, engage in playful banter and joke around constantly—a necessary balance to the seriousness of raising a family. After all, if life solely consists of responsibilities, with no space for joy and goofiness, then what is the point? This balance is what ultimately keeps our relationship vibrant and fulfilling.

Applying this principle has been crucial in many other areas of my life, too, not least when it comes to my career. I remember nights spent in the office working until dawn to meet a deadline, and whenever I forgot to have fun, to take breaks and to enjoy the process, I ended up sleep-deprived, stressed and burnt out.

Maybe what I am trying to say is that rather than just focus obsessively on our destination and the various goals we are trying to accomplish, we should direct just as much attention—maybe more, even—to enjoying the journey. Maybe the journey is even more important than the destination itself.

Because what happens when we focus solely on the results? 

In my mind, the answer is clear: We reach the finish line and often find that the satisfaction we thought we would feel is not as fulfilling as we imagined. 

So how can we ensure we don’t forget to enjoy our journey while pursuing significant goals?

Consider these questions:

• At the end of the day, looking back on your journey, what feelings do you want to have?

• How do you want to remember your journey? 

• How do you want others to remember you?

By embracing the journey itself, making it just as rewarding as the destination, we may even find that what we’ll ultimately end up cherishing is not the results, but the path we took to get there. And maybe that is how we find balance in our lives.