We tend to put an emphasis on the ends of life. The final grade, the weight goal, the job, the wife/husband, the amount of points you want to score in a game, etc. The ends are important and it is vital to set goals, but what enables us to grow and shapes our lives is the means.
The hours of studying and homework to get the A. The miles ran and pushups done to obtain the body you so desire. The resume you spent hours on, the leadership roles you took on, the connections you made, and the GPA you fairly earned to get the job you wanted.
The failed relationships, first dates and time spent alone to find the one you were meant to spend the rest of your life with. The hours spent in the gym practicing your jump shot. This is what we find joy in.
The path to success is sometimes just as great or greater than the success. The people you meet, the emotions you feel, the lessons you learned, and the strength you acquired shaped your life to what it is now.
If we were given what we wanted, life would not be fun at all. Working toward something constantly becomes addicting and if the means were taken away from us, our lives would be dull. Have you ever worked so diligently for something that when you got it, you felt nothing at all? That is true success.
The means were what made you happy and the success was earned. Nothing can ever beat the comfort of knowing you worked for something and that you deserve what you got. Find the beauty in the means and make a meaning of your life, not an end.
