The View

When climbing a mountain you are either climbing to reach the top or climbing so you get to enjoy the view whilst on the way up.

If your climbing to reach the top once you get there you’re done. It’s over. You have accomplished what you set out to do. Now what?

If you’re climbing to enjoy the view on the way up you’ll find that once you reach the top the reward wasn’t in getting to the top but the view you gained on the way up. 

Life is like that. You are always trying to get somewhere else or to reach that goal you are so focused on reaching. But what if you don’t reach that goal? What if that climber didn’t make it to the top?  He’d be left feeling disappointed and though his whole climb was for nothing. 

However if he were to look closely he would see that that there was never a loss. Even though he didn't make it the top like he had hoped, he still gained a lot from his climb. He gained further fitness, experience and of course the magnificent view trying to reach the top. 

I am not saying don’t set goals. By all means set them. Goals are a fantastic thing to set. I am just saying that when you put all your focus on a goal and its set outcome you may end up feeling disappointed if you don’t reach it. When in truth there is never a loss, only a a gain.

For example. If I were to focus all my sights and attention on a new job, my dream job. A flight attendant to be exact. Now I’m going to do all I can to become a flight attendant. I study, I train, I learn all there is about becoming a flight attendant.  Then the moment comes (the climb) I apply for the job. I don’t get it and worse I am told I can never be a flight attendant because I do not meet the height requirements. I am devastated. It was my dream and all that learning and studying was for nothing. Wrong. 

What about the view? It was there. It’s always there when you look for it. I would have gained so much. New friendships that I never would have made had I not studied the course I did. I would have learnt all about the many countries there are in this world and that I would now like to travel. I would have then found that I could apply for a travel agents job ( and with all my experience and training in becoming a flight attendant)  been given the job almost immediately. 

This travel agents job although wasn’t my dream job was even better. It would allow me to travel the world and at discount prices. And I’m sure when I did end up travelling the world I would have looked at all those flight attendants and realized that I was now in the better position.  I got to sit back, relax and travel and whilst they served me. I would have realised in that moment that I had it better.

Life always has better plans for us. Trust the process.