A Delightful Journey

"Aim for the sky, but move slowly, enjoying every step along the way. It is all those little steps that make the journey complete."

- Chanda Kochhar, Indian businesswoman

We never arrive. We're never done. There is always more. To some of us, this sounds like a nightmare. I suppose if we're discussing airline flights or to-do lists, those are not welcome statements. But if we're talking about our life's journey, these statements become the hope that we have more to live, love, learn and appreciate.

If we're always focused on the outcome, or the destination, what happens when we fail to get there? If that's our only focus, all we can do is focus on the failure. If we focus on the journey we took to get to that outcome, we can realize the excitement and learning that happened in all the little steps. If I've learned something, no matter the outcome, and I appreciated and was engaged in the process, I feel like the experience has been valuable.

I listened to a podcast with Adam Grant about his book Think Again which he discussed with host, Shane Parrish of the Knowledge Project. He talked about how we often have our identity tied up in what we know. This can cause us to defend what we know to the point of forgetting about the importance of learning new information and skills. Our journey has stalled.

He explained if instead, we tie our identity to values, then we can be open to new things as long as they support our values. For example, if I value efficiency, I can be open to many different ways of being efficient. I also value it enough that I'm open to considering feedback in how I can be more efficient.

So, what does this have to do with art? Making art is a journey. I realize on this journey I'll never really arrive, because there is always something to learn, always something to do better, and lots of steps along the way. And although that could be overwhelming, I choose to be excited and appreciate all those steps.

It's the magic in the moments that make the journey delightful.