top of page

Journey Before Destination

Trying to have a Destination relies on the questionable foundation that Past You—with whatever information they happened to have access to at the time—is the ultimate authority on what Present/Future You want and need and that it is found THERE. It removes the benefit of the growth you experienced along the way, and also sets you up for the idea that once you get THERE, you will finally be happy.


Spoiler: you won’t.


(Well, not unless you’re already happy HERE. Then once THERE becomes your HERE, you’ll probably be able to bring your happy with you, but that’s a whole different musing.)


Destinations are only for those who can foretell the future, and I’m not one of them. Attempting to reach a Destination sets yourself up for feeling like a failure if/when you don’t make it. Staying single-mindedly focused on a Destination can lead to ignoring opportunities and intuitions for potentially even better things along the way. 


Here’s the crux: there is no place you can arrive where you are Done. As far as I can tell, not even Death itself means you’re Done. Destinations are as mythical as the end of my To-Do list. 


On the flip side, I don’t want to live aimlessly either, wandering without purpose or vision. The Balance? Find your Heading.


A Heading is not a Destination, but a direction you want to go. There is no end to a Heading, and it’s more of a general trajectory than a single path. There are multiple roads to pick from, and side quests are encouraged. If a storm blows you off course, there’s no backtracking. You simply adjust your course and keep moving from where you are. A Heading guides your growth, but it keeps your focus on where you are. It lets you align your life with your dreams, without sacrificing intuition, agency, or freedom.


There are different kinds of Headings; there are the larger, overarching Life Headings; these are set by core values. They can change, just as we do, but they’re less likely to shift drastically or multiple times a year. Mine is probably something like:


I will grow towards Creativity, Curiosity, Love, and Peace


But every season and segment of the Journey of You often requires more specific inner or outer work. After a few health hiccups, I find myself in a place where my body is unable to keep up the active lifestyle I want to have. I’m not going to make a Destination of ‘I will run x miles’ or ‘I will deadlift x lbs’ but I do have a Seasonal Heading:


I will make choices that make me stronger


A few months ago, I was getting bogged down in the daily grind (again) and found myself itching with discontent and the sense of being caged by domesticity. I was doing all the things to stay alive, but I wasn’t feeling alive. I carved out a day once a week where my task is to ask the question:


What does my Wild want to do today?


Everyone’s Headings will be unique to where they are and where they want to grow. A critical aspect to Life Maps is that we must be authentic in acknowledging our starting point to determine which direction we need to go. I recently realized that I am usually trying to figure out what people think I should believe before I determine what I actually believe. Because while my conscious mind is quick to declare itself undecided on a menagerie of topics, my subconscious is already acting based on beliefs I’m not aware I have. Part of the purpose of these musings is to create a forge for my worldview, where I can reshape questions and beliefs into strong tools.


In the end, it’s not about the end, but embracing the experience. Guided by a Heading, shaped by each step, and open to change, we can choose purpose over certainty, presence over perfection, and growth over achievement. Life unfolds not in the completion of goals but in the continuous growth of who we are. Journey On.





1 view0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


Find me on social:

  • White Facebook Icon

Business Contact Info | ersandfire@gmail.com | 573-368-6588 | 952 Steamboat Valley Rd | PO Box 743 | Lyons, CO 80540

WhiteInitials.png

© 2022 by E R Sandfire

If you're super bored, you can read my Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. But trust me, the books are way more interesting.

bottom of page