It's The Journey, Not the Destination

The hidden treasures

I am back after a one-month hiatus! I must admit that during this period, there was a lot to think about: the direction of the publication moving forward; the podcast; and life in general. This period has created second thoughts about some recent life decisions, such as school, possible career choice, and something as simple as the state I reside in. Don’t get me wrong, this publication has been a great outlet and will press onward with its mission; however, sometimes missions need to retreat to restrategize, pause, reflect, and appreciate what is already there.

There is a saying that, “It is not the destination that matters, but the journey.” The journey to the destination is where lie the memories. The journey will cause you to reflect on how much you have grown since the beginning, once you reach the destination. How many times in our lives have we been so caught up in the destination, that when we pause to ponder on the journey itself, there’s this realization that there were many hidden treasures that were missed along the way? I can raise my hand to attest, “Guilty as charged.”

Since I started this publication, the goal was to talk about issues that the average person doesn’t get to hear from the establishment or elite—the issues and conversations people care about the most. Then the podcast was established six months later in conjunction with this publication. And slowly, my focus began to shift towards the destination instead of the journey. The destination? Mass numbers of readers and listeners, to where I could become my own boss. The goal shifted from serving the people (you, the reader or listener) to serving myself, as I began to get caught up in becoming an entrepreneur. It’s not the only time my focus has shifted towards the destination instead of the journey. During my time in high school, I was more focused on joining the Air Force; then when I got in, the countdown started to when my contract would expire. Every time this shift of the destination occurred, life seemed to drag itself out, because I was caught up in, “What’s next?” But every time I stopped looking ahead, time seemed to speed up.

See, having a destination isn’t a bad thing in itself. It gives our lives purpose and structure, which I’d argue everybody should have. That said, God will ensure life will drag itself out if you choke on your idea of the destination. I would love nothing more than to be able to be my own boss. However, it should be an afterthought. After all, this allows the individual to really appreciate the growth that took place to get to the final destination. We must ask ourselves if we want those treasures that will accumulate along the journey, in conjunction with the diamond at the final destination? It’s more riches. Therefore, decide today to reprioritize the journey to collect those treasures and build on that wealth, compounding with interest to make reaching the final destination that much sweeter!

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