Which is another way of saying, “every few months, I’m bound to conjure up some sort of theory about life that is half relevant.”
The other day, one of these theories slapped me in the face:
There Are Only Three Ways to Travel to Greece
Although I’ve never been to Greece, I’d assume my travel options were – by plane, by boat, by car, and/or by some combination of the three.
If I couldn’t find a cheap flight, I could get there by boat.
If I got seasick, I could get there by plane.
If I wanted the full travel experience, I could pull off some combination of the three – flying, sailing, and driving my way there.
The point is… it doesn’t necessarily matter how I get there, all that matters is that I get there.
Life Follows a Similar Path
Whether it’s losing thirty pounds or reaching a certain level of income, the same principle applies.
There are a million and one ways to get wherever it is that most of us are trying to go.
And they all work.
In a way that is unique to us.
As long as we don’t jump ship on our way there.
A Real Life Example
When I took my first “Big Boy” job, I was making $40,000/year.
Meanwhile, many of my friends had taken more lucrative jobs that were paying them nearly double what I was making.
I had the same degree, worked the same hours, and made less money than everyone else.
Which hurt.
Because I didn’t have the perspective to see things for what they were.
My friends were smart, and they grabbed the bag early by taking high paying, commission-based jobs. On the other hand, I took a job with a fixed salary and major growth potential.
In other words, my friends were “traveling by plane,” and I was “traveling by bicycle.”
The kicker is, overtime, my pay jumps increased dramatically, while theirs were capped by how much commission they could make.
With a little bit of patience, my salary tripled.
The result?
My bicycle had turned into a jet.
My Secret to Living a Better Life
Back in those days I didn’t have the foresight to see that we are all running our own race.
Which is exactly where my theory was born.
Today, I use this theory as a reminder. A reminder that it’s less about not being where you want to be, who beats you there, or how someone else got there.
It’s more about where you are right now, how you are trying to get where you are going, and appreciating it along the way.
Because your journey is your journey.
And that’s what makes it worth going on.
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