Which Is More Important: The Journey or The Destination?

Which do you find more important: achieving a desired goal or the journey on the way to the destination?

I usually fall into the "make it to the finish line no matter what" category. But, that path can be pretty miserable. It includes struggle and the never-ending belief that you must work hard to achieve success.

But, what if you could experience joy along your journey instead of hardship? What if you believed that your path is there to equip you with the skills and opportunities you need to evolve toward living your life's purpose instead of something to trudge through to get to the good stuff?

This is going to sound cheesy, or cliche, or whatever you want to call it, but after I began meditating a few years ago I came to a realization that my life - as well as everyone else's - is ever-changing and evolving. That’s when I perceived that traveling the road toward fulfilling my purpose is the sweet spot. The end result is actually still a little fuzzy around the edges. But the excitement of learning who I am meant to be along this path has kindled insights that working with my nose to the grindstone did not allow me to observe.

It may sound like I'm one of those hippies that is "just trying to live in the now, brah." but I just allowed myself to take a step back from everything and clear my head. I guess this perception works with my gardener mindset since I focus more on the journey in my stories. I always have a general idea of the ending, but sometimes what happens on the way can drastically change the path to something completely different, and that's kind of how I'm living my life right now. Going with the flow - if you want me to keep sounding like "one of those guys."

I've done a little research on how the journey is better than the destination, and here are three of the top lessons I've found:

1. Surrendering to the Universe’s flow makes you stronger, not weaker.

Have you heard the saying: “Ask, believe, receive.” The problem I have with this is sometimes what I ask for may not be in my best interest. So, no matter how much I believe it needs to happen, sometimes what I ask for and believe in receives the answer of no. This can be disappointing, but if I stop the pity party, I realize I don’t have the power to see into the future. Good thing the Universe has got my back!

Let’s add one element: “Ask, believe, surrender, receive.” Living on purpose means that you must surrender to a path that you can’t fully see. Life is like shaking a Polaroid photo – you only get one glimpse of the next right step at a time. The end result is sometimes blurry and hidden. But, the Universe may be guiding you toward a better path, helping you avoid a disaster you couldn’t perceive, or teaching you a lesson you needed to learn before advancing to the next step of your journey. When you allow yourself to surrender and co-create with the Universe, it’s a powerful combination that generates great insight and joy.

And this may seem a teeny bit like predestination, and it kind of is. I've already talked about my thoughts on religion in an earlier post, and while I don't fully believe in God, I am the first to say I don't know what the hell is going on. But, let's carry on with the next lesson I found.

2. Being is more important than a constant stream of determined doing.

This lesson has been a tough one for me to learn because it’s counterproductive to what my parents and teachers taught.

Being doesn’t mean giving up and not taking any action. It means you allow yourself to be aligned with the Universe’s inspiration through meditation, communing with nature, or taking a moment to become still each day. This allows you to tap into your higher self so you can perceive the inspired actions the Universe is guiding you to take. Tapping into this flow allows you to achieve results more easily with fewer, yet more effective actions rather than numerous hit-or-miss actions, which leads to more joy and less struggle along your journey.

3. Believing that you’re not alone boosts your confidence.

Joseph Campbell (the man, the lover-of-myths, the legend), who coined the Hero’s Journey, said he perceived “invisible hands” that began opening new doors when he agreed to follow his bliss. I’ve found this to be true as I’ve begun to live my purpose. At just the perfect moment when I need guidance, a person, light bulb moment, or opportunity crosses my path that takes me to the next level of my journey.

The Universe will conspire to help you when you commit to following your purpose too, which increases your confidence and ignites true joy.

So, my question to all of you today is: What’s your choice: joyful journey or determined destination?

Leave your answers - or any questions - in the comments. I'll see you tomorrow.

Buh-bye.