If you don’t know where you’re going, you might end up someplace else. Yogi Berra
There’s not much point to “living on-purpose” unless we actually have a purpose in mind.
It’s one thing to actively choose responses rather than simply reacting to whichever way the wind happens to blow. But how do I choose? What are the internal guidelines that give decisions direction and intent?
ROUTE OR RESULT?
We’ve all heard that life’s about the journey, not the destination. Do you agree? Which counts more—where you’re going or where you end up?
I’m not sure that course and conclusion are as distinct as we imagine, because the nature of the journey alters the character of the outcome. The same destination reached by different paths might really not be the same at all. Perhaps the road and the goal are essentially intertwined.
For example, I’d like to increase readership of this blog. The Internet is littered with effective schemes for attracting traffic, but they feel a bit slimy to me. If I raise my numbers by employing a system that tricks people into visiting, I’ve altered the long-term nature of the circle by turning it into a marketing gimmick.
The end doesn’t justify the means; instead, the means change the end.
I choose to try to write interesting, useful stuff, publicize it in ways that feel respectful, and ask readers to subscribe, visit frequently, and pass along their recommendation to like-minded friends. The circle grows much slower, but I don’t have to wash my hands as frequently.
So, if both process and result matter and they’re not separate—where do we focus our attention?
CONTROL
In just about any area of human endeavor—human relations, business, athletic competition—process precedes product. It’s a control issue.
I cannot control who visits this blog today. No matter what I do or how well I do it, nobody will see my work if my host’s server suddenly goes offline. A significant national news story might monopolize attention. A regional power outage could prevent computer use. Any number of factors beyond my control could depress the number of visitors.
I only control the quality of my own work. Good content and effective publicity create a better chance for success, but don’t guarantee it.
The principle’s simple:
- Excellent processes create the possibility of excellent results.
- Questionable processes never produce excellent long-term results.
Try as I may, I cannot control results, just as I cannot dictate present circumstances. I cannot control where I am or where I end up. I can only decide my current course. The character of our lives depends on direction rather than destination.
ONE DEGREE
Words matter. Sometimes two words convey almost the same meaning, but that almost is significant. So I need to be certain about the words I choose to stake out the sort of process I’m seeking.
Being a math geek, I performed a calculation to demonstrate the importance of precise direction. In a one thousand mile trip, missing the correct heading by one single degree would leave you nearly twenty miles off course. Over a lifetime, almost might lead you a long distance from your intended path.
So what’s the best word to characterize the journey? I considered meaningful, remarkable, significant, important, and great. They’re all close, but they miss the mark a bit on two accounts.
First, each conveys an element of being big, important, or noteworthy in someone else’s eyes. There’s an implication of concern for external appearance or comparison to some sort of standard or norm.
Second, they’re all oriented toward results or outcomes. How do I create a life that’s significant or remarkable? I’m looking for process, whatever precedes or underlies the results.
I thought for a while about quality. That’s closer, but it’s really difficult to define. It seems to me that quality is one of those “you know it when you see it” attributes that doesn’t really help much in describing what I’m after.
A SUBSTANTIAL LIFE
I settled on substance or substantial, at least for now. Substance implies something actual or real, as opposed to appearance or form. Substantial connotes inherent value, something that matters because of its essence rather than what others think of it.
Substantial isn’t a reaction to surroundings; it simply is what it is. It carries its own inherent significance. Doesn’t matter much what others think. It’s valuable because of what it is.
What are the characteristics of substantial people? I thought of a few–there are probably more, but this is a start.
Substantial people know what they believe. They’re clear about the principles that inform their choices.
Substantial people strive for integrity between actions and beliefs. They resond from principle rather than reacting to trends, so their direction is consistent and considered.
Substantial people act with courage. They create their own meaning and significance, and they choose based on principle rather than popularity or convenience.
Substantial people develop their character. Because it’s about the journey, they’re honestly introspective and accountable to a process of continuous, incremental growth.
What’s your take? What other characteristics do you associate with a person of substance?
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