“There is no destination. No end goal. So you’d may as well get used to the journey. Instead of learning to drive and read maps, learn to surf, because the waves will just keep coming, and you won’t want to drown.”
– D.L. Lorrentz.
Enjoy the journey, they say.
It’s true. For in life, there is no real destination, and there are no final or absolute end goals, because we’re constantly evolving, and our needs, wants and desires change. And life, well, life just happens, whether we like it or not. And sometimes, life smacks us around and those goals… well, they go out the window.
We’re making this shit up as we go! Because we cannot control the swell of the ocean. Paddle, paddle!
Go to school. Sit, Listen. Do your work. Learn. Pass exams. Get a ‘good job’ and work hard. Buy a house. Buy a car. Find a partner and get married. Have kids. Take a holiday – you’ve earned it. Save some money. Plan for retirement. Enjoy your grandkids. Tend to your garden. Wash the car every Sunday before indulging in a big roast dinner with all the family. Die peacefully in your sleep, or take your last breath with your nearest and dearest around you – in a room filled with love.
It sounds wonderful doesn’t it?
Except, life is not that straight forward and far from this ideal.
We’re told to work hard and do well for ourselves, and to have a plan – to set goals. Often, this comes in the form of University and pursuing a career. It’s chasing promotions, and money, and working harder year-on-year, somehow trying to ‘prove’ ourselves and achieve those goals we’ve set.
We are sucked into the constant stiving for ‘more’.
We believe that we’ll be happy ‘when’ we get this, or achieve that. But the truth is that there is no final destination. No relationship is ever fully developed. No job is ever fully done. And no amount of money is ever enough. And, the more we’ve gained along the way, the more there is to lose. So now, we’re driven by fear and the goal is not to lose everything!
When setting goals, think deeply about what truly matters. There is more to be achieved than career, salary and status. It doesn’t matter what car you drive or where you buy your jeans. No one truly cares about your expensive shoes, or your fake nails and filled lips. You could be wearing Armani or Next, it doesn’t matter.
A life’s ambition should not be concerned with how much one can accumulate, but instead, how much one can learn, experience, and teach. I used to be concerned with salary, career, ambition, and achievement. But then I realised that I was selling my valuable time to companies making bank off the back of my efforts. So now, I’m learning to enjoy the journey with no destination in mind.
Yes, I’d like to publish a number of stories and books. I’d love to become involved in the screenplay of some of my books and collaborate with producers and directors. But, I have no end goal, and no salary expectation or career position in mind. I’m exploring the journey – reading, learning, studying, writing, and editing. I’m learning to ride the waves of life – they keep coming whether I like it or not. I want to ride these waves as they come right into the beach, and then crash, with a beer, under the blazing sun.
