The Results are in...Getting there IS the Best Part -

“The journey matters more than the destination.” – Ghandi

Have you ever played chess?

The results at the end is that there is a winner and a there is a loser. Either way – the game is over.

But the joy of chess is in the process. The strategy and the contemplation of what move to make next. It is watching your opponent struggle against your brilliant positioning and uncovering their weak points so you can capture a vital piece – maybe even their Queen.

“Enjoy the journey, enjoy every moment, and quit worrying about winning and losing.” – Matt Biondi

It is not whether you win or lose (although winning is nice) but rather HOW you play. With 10 to the 120th power of possibilities (that is 1 + 120 zeros) chess is NEVER the same game twice. So, you had better enjoy the journey because playing over and over, winning some and losing some along the way, is the only way to master the game.

In business, many things require trying over and over to get it right or master it.

“Life is a daring adventure towards an unknown future. Its beauty depends on how much you enjoy the journey.” ― Debasish Mridha

If we focus on and only see the desired results we lose in two ways:

THAT is the only result we will be “happy” with – even if there is a better outcome.
We steal away the joy of the process.

Many people in business see “success” as the result they are seeking. I put it in quotes because everyone seems to have their own definition.

“Attaining lasting happiness requires that we enjoy the journey on our way toward a destination we deem valuable. Happiness is not about making it to the peak of the mountain nor is it about climbing aimlessly around the mountain; happiness is the experience of climbing toward the peak.” – Tal Ben Shahar

I remember a story about a couple who loves daffodils. So much so that they wanted a hillside full of them near their home. Acres and acres of rolling hills they wanted blanked with the beautiful flowers.

Each day, over several years, decades even, they planted one daffodil.

When you multiply those tiny, daily actions over time, you can achieve magnificent results. And with the right mindset and focus on the journey – those incremental steps – you can appreciate, enjoy, and even celebrate the doing.

“We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.” – Marian Wright Edelman

Usually the biggest obstacle in our way is our focus – our unrelenting desire for the outcome we have envisioned. But if we do the work, enjoy the process and learn the principle of accumulation of time – before we know it – we have a hillside of daffodils blowing freely in the wind painting our lives with beauty and grace.

“Be not attached to the results – they are what they will be.” – Ghandi

Invest 100% of your effort into the process and enjoy it! Strive toward your goals, make changes and adjustments along the way, strategize and contemplate your next moves, but don’t get so caught up in the “win” that you forget to enjoy the game.