The Road Less Traveled
I used to be too destination focused. What I mean is I was too consumed with reaching my planned trip’s destination or with what I wanted to achieve in my career and life. In those trips and times, I got really frustrated if I ran into delays…whether the delay was due to a detour, congestion, flight delays, career progression, project delays, etc… When these things happened, I got irritable and impatient. …and yes, there were times when I was muttering lots of curse words – certainly not the best person to be around in those moments.
At some point I “began” to realize that this wasn’t good. I began to realize the things I was missing along the way and the negative impact I was having on people I cared about. I also began to realize how it was negatively impacting my personal happiness. However, to be totally honest, I have to really emphasize the word “began” – this has been an ongoing challenge for me.
So, one day I made a shift – and I remember a specific event. My family and I were driving to see my parents – and I decided to get off the interstate and to take country roads for the trip. It definitely took us longer to make the trip – but we saw more things and it was funny at times. We traveled narrow, winding roads. Sometimes they were unpaved, and sometimes we had to double back to find our way again. The girls would ask, “Are we lost?” And I would say “No, we’re okay…we’re heading the right direction.” I purposely did not use a map or phone app on the trip. It was a fun and special moment.
Now, I purposely take the road less traveled to places from time to time. I focus on enjoying the journey along the way – with my career, my life, and the trips we take. I learned that having focus is a good thing, but enjoying the journey is much more important – and when I did that, I saw incredible things and I was happier and more satisfied in general. Some of life's greatest moments aren't in our destination—they're found somewhere along the way.
I invite you to take the road less traveled on your next trip…..Where will you go? Please let me know!