QUOTATION OF THE WEEK
There is too much emphasis on success and failure, and too little on how
a person grows as he works. Enjoy the journey, enjoy every moment, and
quit worrying about winning or losing.
--Matt Biondi, (1965 - ) Swimmer, Olympic gold medalist
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
In our quest to win we sometimes miss the journey. In our worries about failure we sometimes lose sight of the fantastic learning experiences along the way. While it is good to set your sights firmly on a goal and to never, never quit in your pursuits of achievement of that goal, it is also important to experience and learn from everything that takes place along the way. Goals are in the future. Working on those goals is in the here and now. The only reality is right in this moment. The journey can have wonderful highs that we should fully appreciate and experience. The journey can also have lows. Those also need to be fully appreciated and experienced, for they can be the times when we learn and grow the most.
Our worries usually come from thoughts of things that may happen or fears of ultimate failure in our pursuits. These are things that are in the future and have not happened in the present and may never happen. As long as you are experiencing and learning from the stops along the journey toward your goal, there is no failure. Failure cannot exist in an environment where you take something from events--no matter what those events are--and turn them into a learning experience that will help you grow and become stronger in your resolve.
And one other thing, there can be a great deal of fun in the journey if you only recognize it. Laugh at yourself. Keep it all in perspective. Relax and have fun. Every moment of your journey will become an adventure. You will be truly alive and better able to handle the challenges that await any quest. When you achieve your goal, you will realize that the goal was just part of a fantastic trip and not the end in itself. And if you fall short, you will appreciate the multitude of successes your experiences brought along the way.
Blessings and Love,
Allen Schmeltz
Copyright © 2001 Allen F. Schmeltz. All rights reserved.
To return to the Index click here.