Over two months ago, I embarked on a journey of a lifetime. I had never been to Washington, DC. Never experienced the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, or the White House. And now that I've been in DC, and gazed at the grandeur of the structures multiple times, I can say that those symbols of American freedom and liberty aren't the most important parts of our nation's capital.
I have decided to break down my trip into multiple parts in order to digest the many memories I've made and many lessons learned since setting foot on Constitution Avenue some time ago. What is the first and foremost experience that I have learned from in Washington?
Pace Written on the back steps of the Lincoln Memorial:
The skyline of Arlington glistens off the calm water of the Potomac. Arlington National Cemetery is glowing in the distance across the Arlington Memorial Bridge. The late night traffic on the parkway blows past the back of the Lincoln Memorial. Ubers and taxis compete for the road, honking at drivers who lack attention for a split second. Segway tours persist in the DC night along the waterfront. And then there is me, alone on the back ledge of the Lincoln's temple, witnessing it all.
Growing up in Nebraska and Indiana, folks aren't in a terrible hurry to reach their destinations. Nor are individuals so deliberately full of purpose with every movement. More than the speed of a person's gait, the purpose with which they walk is the type of pace that is most important.
Every single day for two months, I walked to the Foggy Bottom Metro Station, took the Washington Post Express edition from the vendor, walked down the escalator, and waited for the Orange Line train to New Carrolton. During that routine every day, I didn't see a single person who lacked direct intent to achieve something that day.
There was a stark difference I saw between being in a hurry and moving with a purpose in the individuals I observed every day. This habit rubbed off on me. Why shouldn't I move with a purpose every day I set foot on the sidewalk? Why shouldn't it be obvious to everyone around me that I want to achieve something great every single day? The answer is simple, I should - and I did.
From then on, I made it my goal every day to move with the intent to achieve something each day. I could have been a simple goal. Maybe I wanted to get to the Metro station earlier so I could get to work earlier. Or maybe I wanted to hold the door for one more person that day. Whatever the goal, I moved with the intent to accomplish something.
That's what the Washington, DC pace is. A daily drive to achieve something great in a city that will weed you out if you lack ambition. It's not how quick you walk, or whether you sprint to make the Metro because you don't want to wait another two minutes for the next one. Rather, it's the purpose you move with and the drive you have to achieve something great every day.
