"Everyone wants to live on the top of the mountain,
but happiness and growth are mostly found in the climb."

- Adapted from Andy Rooney

I was recently forwarded several quotes from Andy Rooney who has long been one of my favorites from his work on the television show "60 Minutes". In these quotes, however, we see another side of Mr. Rooney that is less the cynical curmudgeon looking at life and asking why, and more the philosopher reflecting on what he has learned from his 70+ years on the planet. I love this particular quote because it seems to reflect what most of us know intuitively, but may not acknowledge as part of our daily philosophy...that happiness lies not in just the achievement of one's goal (living on top of the mountain) but also in the experience of getting there (the climb).

This is reflected in the tabloids every day when the "problems" of those who seem to be "living on top of the mountain" are exploited for the entertainment of others. It is further validated in research that has looked at the satisfaction levels of those individuals/families who have suddenly come into great wealth by winning the lottery or other means. Often, the dreams of the "good life" that seemed to depend upon having a certain amount of money are not as rewarding as once believed. In fact, most people report that with this newly found wealth comes new problems, such as, "Who are my real friends and how do I keep from losing all this money?" for which they are totally unprepared. In addition, how often have we heard people say that the happiest times in their lives were when they were "struggling" or at least had fewer "things" or less money?

Now, just to be clear, this is not a condemnation of money and all the "comforts" that it can buy, and I am also aware that there are millions of people for whom more money/resources would raise their standard of living and quality of life significantly. This is just an acknowledgment of the value of "the climb" or the journey, or the process of setting a goal and striving for it.

You see, when we are "working" towards something, we are participating in a creative act. We are envisioning what we want and bringing all of our talents, resources, and creativity to bear in achieving this goal. This is a very dynamic process, one that often allows us to connect with others who share our vision and even expand our sense of self by what we learn and who we become along the way. Once we attain that goal, there is, of course, an understandable sense of satisfaction and reason for celebration, but what then? If this is the "top of the mountain" and no other goal is in sight, then we must derive all of our satisfaction in life from celebrating the past. My guess is that the act of just "celebrating," while certainly containing a type of joy and happiness, isn't designed to become a way of life. Why? Because there is no real creative aspect involved, no sense of pride in what we are doing and who we are becoming as a result.

In other words it isn't just about getting to the top of the mountain and living there, it's about the happiness and growth that we experience in the climb. Therefore, here is a wish for your life to be a rewarding process of setting goals, experiencing the joy and growth inherent in the process of achieving your goals, celebrating these achievements and then going beyond them. Here is a wish that when you get to the top of the mountain that you have another mountain just off in the distance that beckons you to climb.

Take care and God bless, Dr. Bill