It’s the journey that gives the effort its worth

Even if we like to believe that what we have achieved is the result of earlier set goals that we have consistently been struggling to achieve, life is often rather the result of a series of random events. At least that’s how it’s been for me. Nevertheless, success in life can be facilitated if you know what you want to achieve and if you then formulate this as personal goals. When you then look at the goals, make them as vivid as you can in your inner mind.

Step in your imagination into the feeling of having already achieved them. How would you feel? How would it affect your life? What other aspects of your life will change?

This should be an effortless exercise – as you are already there! Such an inner sense of goal fulfillment will trigger the brain’s reward system and you will associate the goal with a strong sense of well-being.

But be careful not to fool your brain too much so that it is made to believe that you no longer have to fight to get there. With a strong ability to imagine and highly activated reward system, this may actually happen.

In your mind, therefore, you always need to alternate between the sweet feeling of having reached your goal in your imagination and the adventorous quest to get there.

In order for this to work optimally, you should not only fill the goal of joy and positive feelings but equally fill your journey with positive emotions.

Just as Odysseus let his dream of Ithaka guide him on his journeys, let your own goals dwell at the horizon but make sure to enjoy your way there.

You may be inspired by Karin Boye’s poem On the move (I rörelse):

The sated day, is never first.
The best day is a day of thirst.

With all the goals and meanings on our earth,
it’s still the journey that gives the effort its worth.

The best goal is a night-long rest,
with fire lit and broken bread the only fest.

In places where you only stay one night,
the sleep feels safe and dreams are bright.

Break up, break up! The sun wakes night with morning kiss.
Our great adventure is an endless bliss.

The translation is largely my own, but I got inspired to dare making my first attempt of translating poetry and some help by my fellow blogger, Katherine Shipp.

Thanks Katherine!

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Author: Karl Ekdahl

International public health leader and creativity blogger. View all posts by Karl Ekdahl