In western culture, we often focus on the attainment of things as a result of viewing success in material terms. I find myself getting caught up thinking about what I want to have, what I want to do, and where I want to go. This is a tendency to focus on the destination instead of the journey, but how should we get to that destination without investing in the journey? If we could fast forward through to the destination I am certain that many would.  We seem to focus on a point in time instead of a period of time, but which holds more value? Which has greater effect?

Experience is the greatest educator. Real life situations are more complex and nuanced than text book examples and can provide much deeper insights and understanding if you actively engage your mind in reflection. From this perspective, a period of time holds much more value than a point in time simply because there is more experience to be had.

Compare taking a single class to studying an entire curriculum. Ceteris paribus, studying the entire curriculum is more valuable. The experience that we gain through the process is what leads us to the destination, by focusing on the process we can make the most of that experience. It is through the journey that we grow and learn, when we focus on that we will continue to improve and expand our understanding.

With many things in life, there really is no concrete destination – only an imagined one. Everything is a cycle made up of smaller cycles that is part of a bigger cycle. Think of the destination as a position within the cycle, while the process is the entire cycle. What really matters is the part of the cycle that is happening now, that is all that is within our sphere of influence.

If in training martial arts I focus on attaining a black belt, my focus is external and materialistic. Instead, I should focus on the process of growing and improving my technique. The belt is a secondary achievement, personal development is the first. Notice the shift in focus, it is a shift away from the future and back to the present.

If you engage in something because you truly enjoy the process, then the destination becomes the process. This shift in focus breeds contentment and patience.

There are countless different ways to get to the same result. The question is, how do you choose to get there, what intentions do you have, and how do you choose to mentally interact with the situations that confront you?

Its not about what you do, its about how you do it.