6 Ways Your Journey Can Impact the Destination

Our lives are a journey and the destination is our life dream or purpose. Within that bigger journey is a series of smaller ones or processes that propel us towards that final destination. But for some people, reaching their destination is an anti-climax. They feel disappointed and unfulfilled and their joy is mingled with sadness.

This is because we overlook an important factor: the journey is just as important as the destination. In fact, it can hugely impact the end goal and your sense of achievement. It's not simply a means to an end but a vital life experience that makes success all that sweeter.

Reflect on these 6 journey processes that can impact your retirement and why you need to keep them in mind in all that you do.

1. Relationships

For some people, the end justifies the means. This includes ruthless competition, unethical practices, backbiting and stepping on others. It also means losing a lot of friendships and damaging relationships beyond repair. What good is success if you don’t have anyone to celebrate it with? Retirement can be a very lonely place without people who enrich your life.

Always invest in building great relationships with everyone around you, especially family and close friends. Not only will you have immense support and encouragement on your journey but when you finally ready for retirement, the wonderful people in your life will bask in it with you!

2. Values and beliefs

Compromising core values and beliefs also falls under 'the end justifies the means' mindset. When you choose this route, you end up reaching your destination but losing yourself in the process. You step on your core morals and ethics for the sake of getting ahead.

Not only do you lose a lot of respect along the way but reaching your destination will be overshadowed by regret and guilt. Rather than staying true to yourself and earning success with integrity on your terms, you realize that you've sold yourself short. It's not a nice realization to live with.

3. Health

Our journeys are so rushed and hectic that we often have no time to take care of our health. Putting ourselves before others, pushing ourselves too hard, stressing out and worrying about the future… all of this takes a huge toll on our health.

The first things we tend to neglect are nutrition, exercise, and sleep. We grab meals on the go, have no regular mealtimes, and exercise inconsistently if at all. Add to this late nights and irregular bedtime hours and you're shaving years off of your life.

Your health should always be a priority because it keeps you performing at your peak, able to make better decisions and navigate the ups and downs more smoothly. More importantly, you want to reach your retirement fit, healthy, mentally sharp and at your best to fully enjoy it for years to come. Retirement is meaningless when the price of it is your health.

4. Self-pride

Whatever you do on your journey should always bring you self-pride and a sense of achievement. This involves a number of factors. These include learning to enjoy whatever you do, however boring or mundane, and recognizing the value it will bring to the bigger picture. It means being responsible for your actions and decisions and doing things with diligence and integrity.

All of these factors come together to foster amazing self-pride in all that you do, so even in retirement, you can truly celebrate the benefits of your hard-earned achievements.

5. Gratitude

When you go through life dwelling on what you lack rather than what you have, neither your journey nor the destination will be very pleasant. You waste time envying others, comparing yourself to others and complaining about your cup always being half-empty. You do things with resentment and frustration rather than with optimism and passion.

Gratitude is a vital pillar of a fulfilling and enjoyable journey. When you always see your cup as brimming with blessings, the end goal becomes an amazing added bonus.

Practice gratitude every single day to keep your passion and purpose alive. Look around you and notice all the wonderful people and things that bring you joy and value. The more you realize how rich and full your life already is, the less you'll dwell on what you lack.

Gratitude breeds numerous positive qualities that can only make your journey more satisfying and exciting – and likewise, the destination. Some of these qualities include optimism, acceptance, emotional resilience, and compassion. Gratitude can literally change you from the inside out.

6. Passion

Pursue your purpose with passion. Don't see the journey as a boring, frustrating process that has to be gotten through. Learn to enjoy every step by finding ways to stay stimulated and engaged with everything and everyone around you.

Hone your skills or learn new ones, look for creative and innovative ways to do things and embrace lifelong learning. By keeping your passion alive, you find pleasure and enjoyment in all that you do, creating a wonderful store of memories to look back on at the journey's end.

Conclusion

Your journey can end in two ways. Anti-climax, disappointment and regret, and bitterness. Or reaching your destination can be an amazing culmination of a thrilling and enriching journey that fills you with pride and --peace of mind.

This is why the journey matters. In fact, it matters more than the destination. Reflect on the 6 points discussed here and assess whether they're an integral part of your journey. If they are, congratulations! Your retirement will definitely be impacted – and impact your life for the better.