Life is a complex maze of twists and turns. We all wish there was “the right” path forward. The idea of “getting X and you get happiness, fulfillment, acknowledgement, success, and love” is sold to us at an early age. While a great theory, it’s a fairly 2D concept that treats your life as only a linear path forward.
Trying to set in on the one correct path is daunting and unfortunately, impossible for most people. This does happen, but I don’t think it’s any more than fortunate opportunities at the right time.
For me, my life and path has been split into many chapters. The things that filled my cup in my teens are not the same as my twenties, nor is it the same as my thirties.
This is the complexity of our lives. A lot of people get locked into a path of education, work, marriage, kids, all before they have had any chance of self exploration.
Self exploration isn’t easy to define, so here’s what we will define it as for this write up. It’s finding out what genuinely sets your soul on fire. Travel, community, relationships, love, and adventure. It’s connecting deeper to a feeling that compels you forward. A feeling that can’t be ignored. The truth is that this feeling will also change with time.
This isn’t a bug in the system; it’s a purpose-built feature that keeps us on the path of progress. More and more people seem to want this to go away. Simpler lives, less stress, easy living, bills paid, and free time are all desires for many who never let that compass get set on something.
Our founding fathers wrote that the unalienable rights we all have of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Let’s be clear here on the vocabulary choice. “Pursuit of happiness.” This is not the same as “happiness.” This implies a few things on the journey.
The first is that you don’t have happiness currently, and the second is that you may never get it. Perhaps, that’s not as important as the pursuit of it is. The constant chase of this ethereal sensation is complicated.
PURSUE whatever you love at full speed. Continue figuring out progress toward that thing. That’s the maze you’re in. This pursuit can and should occasionally change. If you’re not trying new things, then you may never find what sparks that new fire in you. Boil it down to the essence of what you love about it.
I love the progress and creating. This is what makes me the happiest. Constantly driving forward toward harder challenges. With that comes managing more stress and time. It’s a lot of sleepless nights haunted by that goal.
Pursue big things.
Be uncomfortable.
Get scared to fail.
Fail.
Fail.
Fail.
Keep figuring out the puzzle.
1251 weeks left to do it all.
SPREAD HVIII, ALWAYS PARTY
Matt
