The journey to the box

Earl Nightingale described success as “the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.” I like the idea that moving towards something worthwhile already counts.

I remember a story about a student who asks a master for the truth. The master sends him up a mountain. There is a box at the end, but getting there takes a long, difficult journey. He even has to overcome a final opponent before he can open it.

He opens the box. It is empty.

I think about success that way. The journey changes the person who arrives. Everything he had to learn, do and overcome has already happened by the time he opens the box.

I want to enjoy the process of building and learning. I can have a destination and work towards it. The idea that reaching it will make everything perfect feels like an illusion.

I love working. I love building things and solving problems. There will be another problem. I want to enjoy being involved in it.