A few days ago, one of my roommates received the new Patagonia Fall 2008 Catalog. As an outdoor enthusiast, I was thumbing through the pages and came across a bit of unexpected motivational advice. Steve House wrote:
Motivation is the ultimate clean energy. So fueled we try, and usually fail, to reach our summit goal. Bargaining for better conditions, a stronger self or a bluer sky. Trading success to live another day. But success, when achieved, is empty. by attaining the goal we lose it, and then we are lost again. Goals are the plot lines to our lives.
Many say that success is a journey and not a destination. Think about it. When have you been successful? I know some of the largest successes in my life usually come in the blink of an eye. While they are incredibly important to relish in these moments, they are usually brief. An incredible business presentation, winning an important game and even the act of getting married all happen within a few hours time. But the lasting euphoria left behind carries us forever.
So while having a successful event is important, don't lose site of the internal lessons and gain happening within your own soul along the way. It's incredibly hard to do, especially the more pressure one places on the successful event. It's like climbing an incredible mountain and only seeing the rocks under your feet. Stop, take a deep breath of that crisp mountain air and bask in the incredible scenery. Then. Keep. Going. One. Slow. Step. At. A. Time.
Photo credit: Mark Prezel
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