Hi,
The other day I was listening to a podcast with Dr. Dămășaru, in which he talked about the importance of having a clear goal so that our brain provides us with the energy to reach it. I really liked the metaphor he used from the famous story “Alice in Wonderland”, the moment when Alice is at a crossroads and asks the hedgehog:
- Excuse me, hedgehog, can you help me? I don’t know where to start.
- Of course, my dear. But it very much depends where you’re going.
- It doesn’t really matter where, just getting somewhere.
- Then it doesn’t really matter where you start. Any road will lead you somewhere sooner or later.
- Oh, I see. But still, which way should I go?
- Choose the path that suits you best. Every path has its surprises and its lessons.
One interpretation of this substantive dialog is that we should enjoy the journey, because every journey is full of lessons, as long as we know how to see and enjoy them.
Another interpretation, which I would like to address, is that if you don’t know where you want to go, then you won’t know which road is the right one to take. You will set out with your eyes closed, left to chance, and the destination will be a lottery of life. Maybe you’ll draw the winning lottery, maybe not. Maybe you’ll enjoy the outcome, maybe not. But, if you don’t know what you want, how will you know you’ve achieved that goal to enjoy that achievement?
The hedgehog also says: “Choose the road you like best”. Fabulous! Doing what you love is fantastic. Doing what you like, more often than not, doesn’t mean it’s the easiest to achieve. More often than not, the path that leads you to the greatest fulfillment is also the most difficult and requires the most effort.
By our human nature, many of us choose the path of least resistance. There is a principle, a law of nature, which says that any movement, phenomenon or change in nature always follows the path of least resistance. Water will dig where the rock is less hard, and air will always move where the pressure is lower. And so we humans often choose the path of least resistance.
I have a few questions for you:
- Do you have a clear objective, so you know what to ask the hedgehog, which way to start?
- Do you have the motivation and tenacity to go down that road, even if you know it’s harder, but will bring you the greatest fulfillment?
If the answer is yes to both questions, congratulations! You are where you want to be.
If you have any doubts, then take your time and think hard about the road you want to take. Otherwise, you’ll be just like Alice at the crossroads, with no direction.
What is your answer to the above questions?
Claudiu
