What Is Your Relationship With "The Process"?
"So give me back that time again, when I was still becoming." - Goethe
Today, we’re going to explore what Goethe and Trace Adkins have in common.
I’m sure you’re wondering, what connects an 18th-century German playwright with a swooning country star?
Let’s Explore!
Last month I was supposed to fly direct to Paris. Instead, I ended up stranded in Frankfurt. This led to touring the birthplace of the German poet and playwright, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Goethe authored one of the greatest works of German literature, Faust, which tells the story of a man who trades everything to attain knowledge and power.
Faust is so focused on his material desires that he makes significant compromises along the way. Ultimately, he does so to the detriment of his own health, happiness, and morality. It is a stark reminder to zoom out from your goals so you can look holistically at your process.
Are you currently en route to a goal? Ask yourself these 3 questions:
Have I evaluated the opportunity cost?
Am I enjoying myself?
Will I be proud of the person I am when I reach my destination?
So, Why Trace Adkins?
Every story of success we read about - from entrepreneurs, to musicians, to artists - talks about the days when they were working around a dining room table or writing songs in the garage.
Without fail, our biggest stars say these were the good days.
It was a time where they were learning at an unbelievable pace.
They had the opportunity to explore, be creative, and find their unique voice or style.
They were in the trenches with some of their closest friends.
When I boarded my plane and resumed my Spotify playlist, “You’re Gonna Miss This” by Trace Adkins was playing.
You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days you hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this
Trace Adkins
I am urging you - come up for air.
Your goals will always be there. Hopefully they are growing and evolving as you do. But the process is what defines your life, and it is meant to be lived and enjoyed.
Connecting the Dots
There is a line in Faust that speaks to this concept beautifully:
So give me back that time again,
When I was still ‘becoming’,
When words gushed like a fountain
In new, and endless flowing,
Then for me mists veiled the world,
In every bud the wonder glowed,
A thousand flowers I unfurled,
That every valley, richly, showed.
I had nothing, yet enough:
Joy in illusion, thirst for truth.
Give every passion, free to move,
The deepest bliss, filled with pain,
The force of hate, the power of love,
Oh, give me back my youth again!
Goethe
Everything that you are navigating right now is a part of the process of your becoming.
Keep a record of things you do that scare you. There will come a point in the near future where those things are a part of your normal day-to-day. Calling attention to them allows you to appreciate your growth in real time.
Make a point to practice gratitude. What benefits are you experiencing in this season of life that may not last forever? What opportunities are presently available that are fleeting?
Document the journey. Take photos and videos. Write down moments in your journal. Record core memories. You will be amazed at how elastic time seems when you have a true document of the process.
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