Quotes and Wisdom
from the Top of the Mind™
from the Top of the Mind™
Flexibility #2
"The bend in the road is not the end of the road unless we fail to make the turn."
I ran across this simple but profound little quote the other day, and immediately knew that it would be an excellent addition to our weekly connection because of the way it so succinctly captures the importance of flexibility, and the ability to navigate life's twists and turns. For example, everyone knows that, while the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, life rarely, if ever, follows this path. Instead, we are constantly faced with "a long and winding road" full of blind corners and unexpected obstacles which many see as a source of stress and frustration.
While this interpretation is understandable, I wonder if it is really serving us? In other words, if the reality of life is that the road we are on is constantly changing, then maybe we shouldn't tie our peace of mind to the need for our path to be straight and predictable. Or, as this week's quote puts it: "The bend in the road is not the end of the road unless we fail to make the turn."
How could we do it differently? Well, what if rather than speeding blindly down our path trying to get to some goal or destination as soon as possible (and as a result find ourselves running off the road and crashing every time we encounter an unexpected turn), we instead choose a personal velocity that allows us to see the bends as we approach them and thus navigate them in a more purposeful manner? Would it be fair to say that this new "speed of life" could not only allow us to "make the turn," but also result in our enjoying the journey because we would be focused less on the result and more on the present moment experience of "navigation?"
In my book, "Life from the Top of the Mind," I call this concept "The 2% Solution" because of my suggestion that one way to attain this new pace is to do everything 2% slower (see page 155-156). It also fits nicely with a quote from Sam Keen who, in his book "The Fear of Flying" states:
?We suffer from the illusion that the faster we run, the more likely we are to grasp happiness. The truth is that the velocity necessary for success rarely exceeds the rate of reflection.?
When those with whom I am working report practicing this more purposeful way of life (the 2% solution), they say they still get to where they're going, and/or accomplish what they want to achieve in a timely manner, they just make fewer mistakes and enjoy the experience of getting there to a much greater degree. And in the end, isn't life just a series of long journeys punctuated now and then by a series of brief destinations?
Plus, this new perspective on life also has the advantage of dealing with the question of whether we are "on the right path" or whether we have chosen the best way to achieve our goals. If we are indeed willing to navigate each bend in the road on purpose, then we will have a better idea of where the road is going, and thus be able to choose whether we should continue to follow this path or "turn left at the next corner" and go in another direction . . . sort of like an internal GPS system that continues to inform our journey of life in a way that not only helps us arrive at our chosen destination, but even points out the most scenic (read enjoyable) route!
Bottom line, we all know that needing life to be a straight line where we don't have to deal with change is not only impractical, but would eventually result in boredom. Therefore, why not choose instead to recognize life for what it is . . . either a long and winding road that we can resist and resent, or a journey that, while unpredictable at times, does give us a never-ending series of opportunities to choose our speed of travel and the manner in which we pilot this spaceship we call a body. This way, the bend in the road is never the end of the road (maybe not even in death) because of our ability to navigate those inevitable twists and turns "on purpose."
While this interpretation is understandable, I wonder if it is really serving us? In other words, if the reality of life is that the road we are on is constantly changing, then maybe we shouldn't tie our peace of mind to the need for our path to be straight and predictable. Or, as this week's quote puts it: "The bend in the road is not the end of the road unless we fail to make the turn."
How could we do it differently? Well, what if rather than speeding blindly down our path trying to get to some goal or destination as soon as possible (and as a result find ourselves running off the road and crashing every time we encounter an unexpected turn), we instead choose a personal velocity that allows us to see the bends as we approach them and thus navigate them in a more purposeful manner? Would it be fair to say that this new "speed of life" could not only allow us to "make the turn," but also result in our enjoying the journey because we would be focused less on the result and more on the present moment experience of "navigation?"
In my book, "Life from the Top of the Mind," I call this concept "The 2% Solution" because of my suggestion that one way to attain this new pace is to do everything 2% slower (see page 155-156). It also fits nicely with a quote from Sam Keen who, in his book "The Fear of Flying" states:
?We suffer from the illusion that the faster we run, the more likely we are to grasp happiness. The truth is that the velocity necessary for success rarely exceeds the rate of reflection.?
When those with whom I am working report practicing this more purposeful way of life (the 2% solution), they say they still get to where they're going, and/or accomplish what they want to achieve in a timely manner, they just make fewer mistakes and enjoy the experience of getting there to a much greater degree. And in the end, isn't life just a series of long journeys punctuated now and then by a series of brief destinations?
Plus, this new perspective on life also has the advantage of dealing with the question of whether we are "on the right path" or whether we have chosen the best way to achieve our goals. If we are indeed willing to navigate each bend in the road on purpose, then we will have a better idea of where the road is going, and thus be able to choose whether we should continue to follow this path or "turn left at the next corner" and go in another direction . . . sort of like an internal GPS system that continues to inform our journey of life in a way that not only helps us arrive at our chosen destination, but even points out the most scenic (read enjoyable) route!
Bottom line, we all know that needing life to be a straight line where we don't have to deal with change is not only impractical, but would eventually result in boredom. Therefore, why not choose instead to recognize life for what it is . . . either a long and winding road that we can resist and resent, or a journey that, while unpredictable at times, does give us a never-ending series of opportunities to choose our speed of travel and the manner in which we pilot this spaceship we call a body. This way, the bend in the road is never the end of the road (maybe not even in death) because of our ability to navigate those inevitable twists and turns "on purpose."
Take care and God bless, Dr. Bill