OCT 25th 1-2-3: The Journey
1: The Journey ( 2 minute read )
I sit here at my desk, Macbook open and primed for the writing.
I begin decisively typing down thoughts and then I am overcome with the feeling of impatience.
I want to be at the destination of my aspirations, and I almost feel like Veruca Salt from ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ when she sings her song ‘I Want it Now’.
It’s easy to slip into this mentality and it’s even easier to stay there once your through the front door.
The mentality of seeking the destination before the journey, that is.
Of putting the cart before the horse so to speak.
This can be incredibly damaging for your enjoyment of the process, and can lead to immense stress, anxiety, and depression, which could lead to more physical health problems.
Now to be clear I’m not saying having aspirations is bad, nor am I saying that fantasizing about achieving these aspirations is damaging.
What I am proposing is the idea that if your goal is to ‘become and writer’, or ‘become an artist’, or even ‘start building a business selling baked goods’ for instance, then once you start your journey you have already made it there.
To become a writer all you have to do is write. To become an artist all you have to do is draw. To begin a business selling baked goods all you have to do is begin selling baked goods.
Now obviously this is an oversimplification but this way of thinking guards against is the insatiable, ravenous beast that is dissatisfaction.
You can find yourself doing your passion work for years and somehow your brain will find a way to ruin the enjoyment of the journey.
You’ll get sucked into the ‘once I achieve “x, y, z.” then I have succeeded’ mentality which will in turn ruin the enjoyment of all of the little moments that made up that success.
What's the point of working on your life’s passion if your not going to even ‘enjoy’ the process of working on your life’s passion?
Most who leave their shadow career in lieu of working on a life passion will face this at some point or another. Some will prevail over it, some will succumb to the weight and will be led down a path full of emotional pain that heads straight towards an easily misunderstood form of creative block.
It’s understated how important it is to remind yourself that while your doing the ‘busy work’, ‘common day to day work’, or some other less favorable part of your passion work, that you have made it already.
If you seek working on what fuels your passion and are courageous enough to seek it, then reaching the top cannot be what makes you happy. Simply showing up everyday, blessed with the privilege of working on your passion should be sufficient.
Always remind yourself, If you are doing it, then you have already made it. Now enjoy the Journey.
2: Creative Prompts From Us (ex. Write a short story, a poem, a song, or draw a quick illustration of these! Let your imagination run free.)
I. A meteor crashes down to earth, when you get close to it you notice its cracking open. What's inside? Is it alive? Or did it just crack from the quick change of temperature?
II. You find yourself alone one day. Why are you alone? What does that make you feel?
3: Inspirational Quotes From Others
I. “The journey is part of the experience - an expression of the seriousness of one’s intent. One doesn’t take the A train to Mecca.’ -Anthony Bourdain, American Chef and Author
II. “Focus on the journey, not on arriving at a certain destination”- Chris Hadfield, Retired Astronaut and Engineer
III. “A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us.” - John Steinbeck, American Author
Thanks for reading!