“One day I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I said happy. They said I didn’t understand the question. I said they didn’t understand life.“
Many people get caught up with the chase. Whether that be money, fame, prestige, social status, whatever. But when is it enough? At what point do you have enough money? At what point are you famous enough? Well my dad always gave me some important advice throughout my childhood and into adulthood: Enjoy the journey.
I have found that hard work gets you far in life. It has gotten me into college athletics, internships, two masters programs, and most recently a Ph.D. program. However, I also have noticed that working hard also can lead to missing a lot of life. I have tried to make sure that I am enjoying the journey. I have two strong passions that I try to fuel frequently: relationships and travel. I find any opportunity I can to spend time with friends, play games, act stupid, take late night impromptu fast food trips, and build lifelong, valuable relationships that bring me the utmost joy. I also try to travel as much as possible. I have traveled to conferences in Denver, Orlando, Washington D.C., Phoenix. I have gone on road trips through California, Arizona, Kansas, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, New York, Florida. I have traveled to England, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Canada. I have witnessed a professional baseball game in 21 of the 30 MLB stadiums. I. Love. Traveling. For me, when I am old and grey, I want to be able to say that I have true, deep friendships and that I have seen the world. I want to experience other cultures. I want to witness history. These experiences are what give my life value. They are what make me feel like I have lived. They are what give me fulfillment. Not money, not degrees, not superficial material items. Living is what helps me enjoy my journey.
What are you doing to enjoy yours?