Wisdom Trove

The journey is more important than the destination (quotes)

The journey is more important than the destination.

  • A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. Lao Tzu
  • A journey takes time. And the lessons we learn best, they come from the journey, not the destination. Jordan Dane
  • An unanticipated destination, perhaps, but you must admit,all the best journeys take unexpected detours. Lisa Mangum
  • Focus on the journey, not on arriving at a certain destination. Chris Hadfield
  • I learned to love the journey, not the destination. I learned that this is not a dress rehearsal, and that today is the only guarantee you get. Anna Quindlen
  • It’s the journey, not the destination. I truly believe that. Jason Sudeikis
  • It’s the not the Destination, It’s the journey. Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • Roads were made for journeys not destinations. Confucius
  • Sometimes it’s the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination. Drake
  • When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way. Wayne Dyer
  • Sometimes it’s worth lingering on the journey for a while before getting to the destination. Richelle Mead
  • That roads are for journeys, ma’am, not destinations. Margaret Landon
  • The destination is more important than the journey
  • The dream is not the destination but the journey. Diane Sawyer
  • The experiences are so innumerable and varied, that the journey appears to be interminable and the Destination is ever out of sight. But the wonder of it is, when at last you reach your Destination you find that you had never travelled at all! It was a journey from here to Here. Meher Baba
  • The journey has to feel the way you want the destination to feel. Danielle LaPorte
  • The journey is the destination. Dan Eldon
  • The journey is the destination. That’s what you have to tell people. Audie Cornish
  • The journey, Not the destination matters. S. Eliot
  • The journey, not the destination, becomes a source of wonder. Loreena McKennitt
  • The journeythe journey, I promise you, is the greatest thing ever. The destination always takes care of itself. Ray Lewis
  • The joy is in the journey, not the destination. We have a better chance of seeing where we are when we stop trying to get somewhere else. John Bingham
  • The road that is built in hope is more pleasant to the traveler than the road built in despair, even though they both lead to the same destination. Marion Zimmer Bradley
  • There is no difference in the destination, the only difference is in the journey. Hazrat Inayat Khan
  • There’s no destination. The journey is all that there is, and it can be very, very joyful. Srikumar Rao
  • To God, our journey is JUST as important as our destination! Beth Moore
  • You don’t always need to know your destination when you set out on a journey. Carole Wilkinson
  • The importance of a journey is not measured by the distance covered, but by the destination reached. Narendra Modi

Enjoy the journey as much as the destination

  • Enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Marshall Sylver
  • Enjoy the journey, because the destination is a mirage. Steven Furtick
  • That’s why it is important to enjoy the journey not just the destination. In this world, we will never arrive at a place where everything is perfect and we have no more challenges. As admirable as setting goals and reaching them maybe, you can’t get so focused on accomplishing your goals that you make the mistake of not enjoying where you are right now. Joel Osteen

Life is a journey, not a destination

  • Education is a lifelong journey whose destination expands as you travel. Jim Stovall
  • Exercise is a journey, not a destination. It must be continued for the rest of your life. We do not stop exercising because we grow old – we grow old because we stop exercising. Kenneth H. Cooper
  • Fitness is a journey, not a destination; you must continue for the rest of your life. Kenneth H. Cooper
  • Life before Death. Strength before Weakness. Journey before Destination. Brandon Sanderson
  • Life is a journey, not a destination; there are no mistakes, just chances we’ve taken. India Arie
  • Life is a journey, not a destination. Happiness is not there but here, not tomorrow but today. Sidney Greenberg
  • Life is more about the journey than the destination. Mary Alice
  • Life is not a destination; it’s a journey. It’s not a series of goals; it’s a series of steps, of events unfolding as you make your way. Life is not all about accomplishment; it’s all about doing, participating, progressing, growing, learning. Mike Hernacki
  • Life is not a journey, it is a destination. Piero Scaruffi
  • Life isn’t about the final destination or the accomplishments and accolades; it’s about the journey and the opportunities for learning—and how we grow as a result. Michael Eisen
  • Life’s a journey, not a destination. Steven Tyler
  • Now I’ve got that [life is a journey not a destination] tattooed on my arm because it just reminds me of that time, and I think it’s just an amazing quote. John Newman
  • Remember, Life is a journey, not a destination. Bruce Lee
  • The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction not a destination. Carl Rogers
  • The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination. Don Williams
  • The spiritual journey does not consist of arriving at a new destination where a person gains what he did not have, or becomes what he is not. It consists in the dissipation of one’s own ignorance concerning oneself and life, and the gradual growth of that understanding which begins the spiritual awakening. The finding of God is a coming to one’s self. Aldous Huxley
  • Rather than the destination it is the journey that lends meaning to our lives, great Neelkanth. Being faithful to our path will lead to consequences, both good as well as bad. For that is the way of the universe. Amish Tripathi
  • The future is a process, not a destination. Bruce Sterling

Happiness is a journey, not a destination

  • Attaining lasting happiness requires that we enjoy the journey on our way toward a destination we deem valuable. Happiness is not about making it to the peak of the mountain nor is it about climbing aimlessly around the mountain; happiness is the experience of climbing toward the peak. Tal Ben-Shahar
  • Find happiness by enjoying the journey, not by awaiting the destination. Peter Sheppard Skaerved
  • Happiness is a mindset for your journey, not the result of your destination. Shawn Achor
  • Happiness isn’t a destination; its a journey. Austin Carlile
  • I’m somebody who considers happiness a journey, not a destination. Neil Gaiman
  • The purpose is not the destination but the journey itself. Only those who understand this simple truth can experience true happiness. Amish Tripathi
  • The journey is what brings us happiness not the destination. Dan Millman
  • To me, ultimate happiness is a journey, not a destination. It’s not somewhere you end up, it’s making choices every day to make yourself happy. Lizzie Velasquez

Success is a journey, not a destination

  • Remember, success is a journey not a destination. Have faith in your ability. You will do just fine. Bruce Lee
  • Success and happiness are not destinations, they are exciting, never-ending journeys. Zig Ziglar
  • Success for me isn’t a destination it’s a journey. Everybody’s working to get to the top but where is the top? It’s all about working harder and getting better and moving up and up. Rihanna
  • Accomplishment will prove to be a journey, not a destination. Dwight D. Eisenhower
  • Success is a journey, not a destination. It requires constant effort, vigilance and reevaluation. Mark Twain
  • Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome. Arthur Ashe
  • Success is every minute you live. It’s the process of living. It’s stopping for the moments of beauty, of pleasure; the moments of peace. Success is not a destination that you ever reach. Success is the quality of the journey. Jennifer James
  • Success is not a destination that you ever reach. Success is the quality of your journey. Jennifer James
  • Success is not a destination: It is a journey. The happiest people I know are those who are busy working toward specific objectives. The most bored and miserable people I know are those who are drifting along with no worthwhile objectives in mind. Zig Ziglar
  • Success is not in reaching the destination, but in making the journey. Bruce Lee
  • The journey is the destination. The process you’re in is the goal. Success is never defined by the outcome but by the process. Paul Young
  • And so, does the destination matter? Or is it the path we take? I declare that no accomplishment has substance nearly as great as the road used to achieve it. We are not creatures of destinations. It is the journey that shapes us. Our callused feet, our backs strong from carrying the weight of our travels, our eyes open with the fresh delight of experiences lived. Brandon Sanderson

Writing is a journey, not a destination

  • Writing isn’t about the destination-writing is the journey that transforms the soul and gives meaning to all else. Sue Grafton

Transformation is a journey, not a destination

  • Transformation is a journey without a final destination. Marilyn Ferguson
  • Change comes more from managing the journey than from announcing the destination. William Bridges
  • Christlikeness is a journey, not a destination. The joy is in the journey. Charles R. Swindoll
  • Reaching your potential is a disciplined process. Like losing weight or getting in shape – there is no final destination and it requires you to dust off atrophied muscles. You have to work at it. If you do, I think you will dramatically improve your leadership. Robert S. Kaplan
  • Reformation, like education, is a journey, not a destination. Mother Jones

Creativity is a journey, not a destination

  • The creative process is not like a situation where you get struck by a single lightning bolt. You have ongoing discoveries, and theres ongoing creative revelations. Yes, its really helpful to be marching toward a specific destination, but, along the way, you must allow yourself room for your ideas to blossom, take root, and grow. Carlton Cuse

Character is a journey, not a destination

  • Character is a journey, not a destination. William J. Clinton

Excellence is a journey, not a destination

  • Excellence is not a destination; it is a continuous journey that never ends. Brian Tracy
  • Perfection is not a destination; it’s a never-ending process…Enjoy! Jim Bouchard

Truth is a journey, not a destination

  • Knowledge is a destination. Truth, the journey. Terry Goodkind
  • Science is an intellectual journey, and to me, it’s not the destination, it’s the journeyto get there. It’s a way of thinking and it’s an intellectual curiosity, a desire to know how the world works, and to know what the fundamental principles of the world are, and to know our place in it. I think once we stop asking questions like what is the age of the universe, or how are the instructions of DNA carried out on a microscopic level, once we stop asking questions like that, we’re dead. Alan Lightman
  • Discovery is the journey; insight is the destination. Gary Hamel
  • One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things. Henry Miller

Love is a journey, not a destination

  • Love is a journey, not a destination. Ramon Bautista
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Tiny Buddha

“Happiness is a direction, not a place.” ~Sydney J Harris

Being happy is for most of us one of the key aims in life. But where we often go wrong is in figuring out which path to take to achieve that happiness.

My own path has been a somewhat unconventional one. In my last year at college, most of my peers were busy applying for full-time jobs with large companies, but I knew that wasn’t what I wanted to do.  

I wanted to see the world, which (long before gap years became so common) was met with disapproval by many. But excited, and somewhat scared, I set off alone on my travels.

I didn’t return for good until over seven years later, traveling around the world twice over, working as an English teacher in Istanbul and Barcelona, as a fruit picker on a kibbutz in Israel, in a ski resort, on a campsite in France, and in a fairground in Australia.

I drove across the US, rode the Trans-Siberian railway across Asia, and took precarious bus journeys through the Himalayas and the Andes.

It was a fantastically exciting time and left me with some amazing memories that will last forever. I knew that by doing this I’d probably be sacrificing any chance of reaching the upper echelons of the corporate tree, but that didn’t hold any appeal to me anyway.

Of more concern was the pressure I felt from family, friends, and society to settle down and find a “proper” job. But I’m really glad that I resisted that pressure and didn’t stop traveling and working abroad until I’d seen and experienced all that I wanted to.

I felt that there was plenty of time to have a conventional job after my traveling days were over, and this has proved correct.

The traveling taught me so much about myself, and life, and made me think about what I wanted from this short time on earth. I realized that I wanted to acquire experiences rather than money, and in my subsequent career that is what I have done.

I’ve done a variety of jobs: I’ve been a musician, graphic designer, novelist, and journalist. Much of the time, these have been precarious freelance jobs and not well paid, but they’ve all been fantastically interesting and given me a wealth of life experience.

I always wanted to have no regrets with the way I spent my life, and so far I haven’t. I know that if I’d spent my whole life trying to climb the corporate ladder I wouldn’t have been happy and would now have been lamenting what I hadn’t done in my life.

I’ve always found it really important to enjoy each step of the journey that I’ve been on and not just hoping to be happier at some point later in my life.

The path I’ve chosen may not be for everyone, but it is an example of the importance of choosing your own path in life, and ignoring the pressure from family, friends, and society. 

I’ve seen how some people are pressured into certain jobs, often because they are considered prestigious, but hate the path they have chosen. Others may be pushed to get further up the career ladder, but then find out they hate the managerial responsibility that this generally brings.

People also often think that when they have more material goods or money they will be happier . But while it may be hard to be happy in the western world with no money (although some people achieve it) making lots of money and buying lots of things may not necessarily make you content.

Buying a new car or yacht is often only a short-term happiness boost and it seems that after a while, each upgrade to the car, house, or yacht gives less and less extra happiness.

Surveys have shown again and again that once people reach a certain wage—around the average wage in western countries—happiness levels do not increase much.

With relationships, it’s also important to find the right path for ourselves, and to be as sure as we can that we have chosen the right partner. And when we’ve hopefully found them, it’s so important to enjoy each moment of that relationship, not always be looking to the future.

We might think that having children will make us happy, but then when we have them we realize all the responsibilities and difficulties that brings, and may look back on our days without children with fondness. Or if we have young children we might wish they were older, but then they become teenagers!

The common pattern in all this is choosing the right road for the type of person we are and finding happiness at as many places along that route as we can.

So it’s important to look at all the good things in our lives and to enjoy them to the full right now. That is much more likely to bring happiness than waiting for it to appear around the corner.

Photo by woodleywonderworks

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About Alex Lloyd

Alex is a writer and life coach. He writes regularly for websites including The Happy Hut , and is the author of the book How to be Happy .

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Journey vs destination: how to stay present.

  • March 10, 2020
  • Kendra Sand
  • Social Science

Written by Tianna Zachariah

When I think of  journey , I immediately think of  destination . Think about it. Whenever a friend tells you they’re going on a vacation, a trip, or a journey of any kind, what’s the first question you ask? “Amazing! Where are you going ?” Then they usually respond with a destination. Hawaii, California, the mountains, maybe even Target. This also applies to other areas of our lives, from education to work, relationship status to self-help goals. Learn the difference between journey vs destination and ideas for how to stay present at any stage of the process.

So, how do we define and understand the relationship between journey vs destination? Which is more important? Which comes first? How can we enjoy and experience both at the same time? And, can we be more present and engaged in the now along the way?

If you think about any good story , we relate to it and we enjoy it because there is an end goal. There is always something clear that is needed or wanted. But if you look closely at those good stories, the destination is usually only one page or one chapter long, sometimes even one sentence. The juice of the story is in the quest. It’s in the journey. It’s the in-between stages that pave the road from where we are to where we want to be. 

Journey vs Destination: Don’t Overlook the Process

As great, important, and necessary as the destination is, I think too many times we get so caught up in where we want to end up that we completely overlook the process that gets us there. We want so badly to just be there that we forget about what it feels like to be here. Even though it’s so important where we want to go, it’s the journey that makes our stories great. It’s the process that prepares us in all the right ways for the vision that we see clearly at the beginning of every great venture. 

Also, when we are hyper-focused on the destination that can enable a rigid mentality within us. Sometimes as we go along a journey, the destination might change.

If we’re so focused on the destination we have in our minds, we don’t allow ourselves the flexibility and the openness to accept necessary detours that might, in the end, alter our destination.

I’ve heard it said that the journey is the destination. If that’s true, there could be nothing more in our favor than to hold this journey that we’re on with open hands—not only allowing changes that we didn’t expect but sometimes inviting them in. 

The Journey: How to Stay Present

Let’s explore this idea of the journey I’ve created a few challenges that remind us to stay present. These are things you can do every day to cultivate a little more presence on the journey you find yourself on.

1. Slow Down, On Purpose

We live in a time where we are constantly encouraged and admired when we struggle, strive, and live a busy life. But going from back-to-back activities without taking the time to breathe and relish in the moments, we are not allowing ourselves to live life. I truly believe that when we don’t take our time, we end up showing up for our commitments and our people at less than 100 percent. Since we live in a culture that glorifies exhaustion, it’s uncomfortable when we take things slow.

When we take our time, we feel like we’re doing something wrong, or we feel guilty because there is always so much to do. If there is time, we will find ways to fill it up. But what if we didn’t? How different would our world and personal lives look if we simply sat in the discomfort of leisure?

Right now, the world could use more people that slow down, on purpose. Stand in the long line at the grocery store, ride in the slow lane, walk to a favorite spot on the weekends. 

Do the things that force you into the pace that demands you be here, wherever here is. 

2. Recognize That You’re Living the Good Old Days, Right Now 

If we took some time to think, we all could come up with a moment in our lives that we look back on and remember with joy, even though at the time, it was a hard situation. We’re able to look back and realize the contribution it made to our now and see it as something we wouldn’t want to miss. We look back and see them as the good old days. But these don’t have to be the good old days someday, they can be the good old days today. 

We can choose to see hard situations as necessary grooves in the concrete that pave the road to our desired destinations. 

Alternatively, we can choose to truly enjoy the good days when they are upon us. 

3. Pack Light

A long journey requires endurance. Endurance demands lightness. We all know the textbook over-packer. Maybe that person is you. It’s important to remember that on any journey, you will have what you need when you need it. 

We cannot control everything, and we cannot prepare for things that are way out of our reach or the steps ahead on our timeline. Each step of the journey will change us, and in order for us to adapt to the changes well, we need to pack light—meaning that we can’t take everything with us on every journey. 

We must take only what we need right now and trust that what we need will be given to us the moment it’s needed. This demands that we stay present to what each step of the journey requires from us. 

If it’s something we must provide, we should give it willingly, and if it’s something that is gifted to us for the next step, we must receive it fully. In order to receive a gift well, we need to have the capacity to hold it, which means that we must not bring everything with us—only the essentials.

Get Curious 

The relationship between the journey and the destination is one that we must get curious about. Teju Ravilochan, in his talk titled “What Love Can Teach Us About Tackling the Impossible,”  shares this story about a mathematician that changed history. He tells about the destination and the three-year journey that led this man to his legacy-leaving destination. Teju mentions that this man had passion. Passion is Latin and it means suffering .

The journeys that we find ourselves on are often driven by passion. They are sometimes laborious and cause us unbearable suffering. 

I think that’s why so many times we choose to focus solely on the destination. In our dreams, the destination is not painful. Rather, it’s where we arrive once we’ve been through the pain. 

But, the three years that this man spent laboring and working and fighting for his goal, was just as important if not more important than the one day of glory that he lived, because it instilled in him a love of the journey. It created in him a joy of the process. And, if we choose to look at our journey’s this way, it can do the same for us.

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You are here: Home » Blog » Happiness

Why Happiness Is A Journey And Not A Destination

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Updated on January 29, 2023

happiness is a journey not destination featured

“Happiness is a journey.” You’ve definitely heard this before. So what exactly does it mean? If happiness isn’t a destination, then how do we find it? And if happiness is a journey, does that mean we never really get there? Many people swear by this common saying – so are they right, or is it just a cliche?

Your happiness depends on a lot of things, like genetics and life experiences – but as much as 40% is in your control. The way you conceive of happiness can have a big impact on just how happy you are. If you go chasing after it, you may find it slips through your fingers. The expression “Happiness is a journey” is all about thinking about happiness the right way – and finding ways to enjoy all the steps.

There are a couple of different ways to interpret this expression, and each of them will teach you something important about happiness. In this article, we’ll look at all the ways happiness can be thought of as a journey, with examples and actual research to help you apply them to your own life.

I’ll be happy when …..

Affective forecasting in science, a little happiness every day vs a lot of happiness at once, creating your own happiness, active anticipation vs happiness, enjoying the journey and the destination, closing words, happiness as a goal in life.

We often talk about happiness as a goal — something to be attained, like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

The problem with this approach is that we forget to enjoy the present moment. There’s nothing wrong with setting goals for yourself, but if you think achieving a certain goal will finally bring you happiness, you may be in for a disappointment . One reason is that the predictions we make about how we’ll feel in the future aren’t very accurate.

When I was studying psychology at university, one of our professors asked us at the beginning of the course to fill out a survey. Several of the questions had to do with what grade we thought we’d get, and how we’d feel if we got a better or worse grade. At the end of the year, after we received back our grades, we were asked to note our emotional response.

It turns out that almost all our predictions were incorrect. Those of us who got a better grade than we’d predicted at the beginning of the year didn’t feel as happy as we thought we would – and those of us who got a worse grade didn’t feel as bad as predicted!

The ability to accurately predict our future emotional states is called affective forecasting and it turns out that humans are pretty bad at it . We make consistently bad predictions about how we’ll feel:

  • When a relationship ends
  • When we do well in sports
  • When we get a good grade
  • When we graduate from college
  • When we get a promotion
  • Just about anything else

There are a couple of different reasons why we’re so bad at this, but two of the main ones are because we usually overestimate how intensely we’ll feel an emotion and for how long .

Another important reason we’re bad at predicting our emotions is that we usually fail to take into account the complexity of future events. You might think you’ll be happy when you get a promotion – but you may find yourself over-worked, with too much responsibility and not enough time.

Finally, this study found that the more people equate goal-achievement with happiness, the more they’re likely to be miserable when they fail to achieve that goal. If there’s a lesson to be learned from poor affective forecasting, it’s that you shouldn’t count on specific events to make you happy.

Another reason why it’s not great to put all your happiness eggs in one basket is that your happiness depends more on the frequency of happy events , and not the intensity.

In other words, it’s better to have lots of little happy moments than one or two bigs ones. Not only this, but research has shown that happiness from individual events doesn’t actually last that long . And it turns out that one of the best ways to prolong feelings of happiness following an event is to relive what it is that made you happy .

These three studies together tell us something very important about happiness: you should try to maximize the number of small, happy events in your life as much as you can.

Why is happiness a journey and not a destination? Because whatever you think is the destination, it probably won’t make you as happy as you’d like, and you may end up miserable if you don’t get there. It’s better to enjoy little events along the way.

I came across this cute and clever meme today in the gym. Maybe you’ve seen it.

create your own happiness

It got me to thinking that one of the reasons why lots of people are unhappy is because they go out looking for happiness, rather than cultivating it in their lives. In a previous article, we explained how happiness is an inside job – it’s something that you can build up from the inside, without having to resort to external sources.

One overview of the paradoxes inherent in seeking happiness came to this conclusion:

Happiness is pursued indirectly as the by-product of meaningful activities and relationships.

While the reasons are manifold (and a bit complex), it looks like “searching for it everywhere” is just about the worst way to go about it. Maddeningly, this study found that valuing happiness as an end goal or destination may “lead people to be less happy just when happiness is within reach.” Finally, when we’re focused on happiness as a destination, we end up feeling like we have less time to enjoy it . So if happiness isn’t a destination we can find and get to, how do we create it?

Well, I already mentioned one article, but the Learn To Be Happy Blog is full of advice based on real-world examples and research on how to cultivate happiness in your day to day life. Some examples include journaling for self-improvement , spreading happiness to others , and (of course!) being physically active . There are lots of ways to create happiness in your life, and studies have shown it’s a lot more effective than looking for it.

Why is happiness a journey and not a destination? Because you may never find the destination, in which case you’ve got a long, long journey ahead of you. So enjoy it! When you get happiness from the journey, you can stop looking for it elsewhere.

Happiness on the horizon

I love facts. Did you know that we share 50% of our DNA with lettuce? Or that a piece of paper folded 42 times would reach the moon? (Turns out you can’t fold a piece of paper more than 8 times. Sorry NASA).

Well, here’s another one of my favorites: people are typically happier planning vacations than after going on them .

In fact, the anticipation of an event is often more enjoyable than the event itself, and we’re happier looking forward to it than we are remembering it. Why is that? Well, it’s due in part to what we talked about in the first part of this article, affective forecasting. We overestimate how much a vacation or some other event will make us happy. But we love imagining it, planning it and getting excited about it!

This is called active anticipation and it’s a fantastic way to enjoy the happiness journey. There are lots of ways to practice active anticipation of an event – you can journal about it, watch movies or read books in a similar vein, or do research on things to do. The important thing is to enjoy the process as much as you can.

This also means you’ll be happier if you always have something good on the horizon, whether it’s a trip, a play, a dinner with friends, or just a nice meal at the end of the week.

If that seems contradictory to the first two interpretations of Happiness as a journey, remember to focus on active anticipation — take as much pleasure as you can in planning the details.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy yourself at the party! But it does mean that you should try to enjoy planning it too. Don’t attach your happiness to the upcoming event. You can look forward to the event without saying to yourself, “I’ll finally be happy when I go on vacation”, or “I’ll finally be happy when I see my friends!”

The point is to enjoy all of it – the journey there and the destination.

Why is happiness a journey and not a destination? Because the journey can be a lot more fun than the destination itself, and if you take the time to really enjoy each step along the way, you’ll spend more time being happy. Having something to look forward to helps you be happier in the present, which means that the journey is never really over. When you reach one destination, just keep on trekking!

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We’ve seen a number of different ways that happiness is best thought of as a journey and not a destination. It turns out that people are happiest when they have something to look forward to, when they enjoy the steps that take them there, and when they don’t attach too much importance to individual events.

On the flip side, focusing on happiness as a destination to be found or reached, putting all your hopes on big life events, and aiming for one or two really happy moments rather than a series of little ones, are all things that can make you less happy. It turns out the cliché is true: happiness really is a journey, one to be enjoyed to the fullest.

Now I’m looking forward to hearing from you! Have you experienced things similar to what I discussed in this article? Did I miss something? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

Christian

Academic researcher and writer with a passion for statistical analysis, neuropsychology and mental health.

2 thoughts on “Why Happiness Is A Journey And Not A Destination”

Great article. I was a very unhappy person when I was younger and it took me a long time to realize that happiness was up to me, not up to the world or people around me. Now, I look for things to be happy about every day. It has changed my life.

Thanks for sharing, Sherri!

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Happier Human

51 Meaningful Quotes About How Life is a Journey

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They say that life is about the journey and not the destination. But what does that really mean?

You’ve probably heard this line a million times before, but maybe you couldn’t quite understand what it was trying to illustrate. 

The most successful people will tell you that the process of accomplishing something is far more valuable than the end result. You learn much more from all of your experiences and encounters than you do from arriving at the destination.

Ultimately, the process is the greatest reward. The sweetest moments come when you realize that you have attained the final goal because of everything you have experienced.

You look back on the mistakes, the challenges, and everything you had to endure—but you also celebrate the fact that you faced your problems head-on. Your journey through life is what makes you human.

In this article, we share with you a list of quotes about how life is a journey . We hope that, through these words, you’ll be able to enjoy everything that life has to offer. Even more so, we hope that they will inspire you to live a more meaningful and happier life .

But before we check out our list, let’s discuss how reading these quotes can get you motivated.

Table of Contents

Why Read Quotes About How Life Is a Journey?

Reading these quotes can inspire you to live a better and more fulfilling life.

They are, after all, from people who have found their journeys through life enjoyable and gratifying. There’s no better way to motivate yourself than to get inspiration from people who have already lived wonderful lives.

In the same vein, these quotes can help you appreciate the gift of life. They help you realize that you only live once, so you must relish the moments you have been given.

Finally, reading these quotes can encourage you to share your life with others. You will realize that, in order to be able to live your life to the fullest, you need someone to share both your joys and sorrows with. You require companions to fully live in the moment .

Now that you know why it’s important to read journey quotes, let us check out our list!

Meaningful Life is a Journey Quotes

  • “If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But by all means, keep moving.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • “Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
  • “The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.” – Tony Robbins
  • “The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but significance, and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning.” – Oprah Winfrey
  • “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
  • “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” – Heraclitus
  • “Not I, nor anyone else can travel that road for you. You must travel it by yourself. It is not far. It is within reach. Perhaps you have been on it since you were born, and did not know. Perhaps it is everywhere – on water and land.” – Walt Whitman
  • “The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what's in between, and they took great pleasure in doing just that.” – Norton Juster
  • “The beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday.” – Steve Maraboli

enjoy the journey as much as the destination meaning

  • “Some beautiful paths can't be discovered without getting lost.” – Erol Ozan
  • “For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.” – Michelle Obama
  • “I am no longer afraid of becoming lost because the journey back always reveals something new, and that is ultimately good for the artist.” – Billy Joel
  • “Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.” – Pat Conroy
  • “Never stop just because you feel defeated. The journey to the other side is attainable only after great suffering.” – Santosh Kalwar
  • “There is a strange comfort in knowing that no matter what happens today, the Sun will rise again tomorrow.” – Aaron Lauritsen
  • “Sometimes it’s the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination.” – Drake
  • “ Transformation is a process , and as life happens there are tons of ups and downs. It’s a journey of discovery – there are moments on mountaintops and moments in deep valleys of despair.” – Rick Warren
  • “The journey is never-ending. There’s always gonna be growth, improvement, and adversity; you just gotta take it all in and do what’s right, continue to grow, continue to live in the moment.” – Antonio Brown
  • “Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.” – Greg Anderson
  • “On your journey, don’t forget to smell the flowers. Take time out to notice that you are alive. You can only live one day.” – Ray Fearon

enjoy the journey as much as the destination meaning

  • “If my ship sails from sight, it doesn’t mean my journey ends. It simply means the river bends.” – Enoch Powell
  • “It’s not an easy journey, to get to a place where you forgive people. But it is such a powerful place because it frees you.” – Tyler Perry
  • “Aim for the sky, but move slowly, enjoying every step along the way. It is all those little steps that make the journey complete.” – Chanda Kochhar
  • “Sometimes we make the process more complicated than we need to. We will never make a journey of a thousand miles by fretting about how long it will take or how hard it will be. We make the journey by taking each day step by step and then repeating it again and again until we reach our destination.” – Joseph B. Wirthlin
  • “Your journey never ends. Life has a way of changing things in incredible ways.” – Alexander Volkov
  • “Each one of us has our own evolution of life, and each one of us goes through different tests which are unique and challenging. But certain things are common. And we do learn things from each other's experiences. On a spiritual journey, we all have the same destination.” – A. R. Rahman
  • “Going by my past journey, I am not certain where life will take me, what turns and twists will happen; nobody knows where they will end up. As life changes direction, I'll flow with it.” – Katrina Kaif
  • “Enjoy the journey and try to get better every day. And don't lose the passion and the love for what you do.” – Nadia Comaneci

“Enjoy the journey and try to get better every day. And don't lose the passion and the love for what you do.” – Nadia Comaneci | end of journey quotes | everyday is a journey quotes

  • “But it's a journey and the sad thing is you only learn from experience, so as much as someone can tell you things, you have to go out there and make your own mistakes in order to learn.” – Emma Watson
  • “The seeker embarks on a journey to find what he wants and discovers, along the way, what he needs.” – Wally Lamb
  • “Life is a journey that must be traveled no matter how bad the roads and accommodations.” – Oliver Goldsmith
  • “The Sun will rise and set regardless. What we choose to do with the light while it's here is up to us. Journey wisely.” – Alexandra Elle
  • “We may run, walk, stumble. drive, or fly, but let us never lose sight of the reason for the journey, or miss a chance to see a rainbow on the way.” – Gloria Gaither
  • “Whole life is a search for beauty. But, when the beauty is found inside, the search ends and a beautiful journey begins.” – Harshit Walia
  • “Not everyone will understand your journey. That's okay. You're here to live your life, not to make everyone understand .” – Banksy
  • “I believe that life is a journey, often difficult and sometimes incredibly cruel, but we are well equipped for it if only we tap into our talents and gifts and allow them to blossom.” – Les Brown
  • “It was being a runner that mattered, not how fast or how far I could run. The joy was in the act of running and in the journey, not in the destination.” – John Bingham
  • “As you journey down the path, don't forget to be present moment-by-moment and absorb the beauty and richness of simply being alive.” – Cary David Richards
  • “If all difficulties were known at the outset of a long journey, most of us would never start out at all.” – Dan Rather

“If all difficulties were known at the outset of a long journey, most of us would never start out at all.” – Dan Rather | trust the journey quotes | travel journey quotes

  • “Life is a journey of either Fate or Destiny. Fate is the result of giving in to one's wounds and heartaches. Your Destiny unfolds when you rise above the challenges of your life and use them as Divine opportunities to move forward to unlock your higher potential.” – Caroline Myss
  • “I know it can be tough to imagine how to get from where you are today to where you want to be tomorrow. But I’m here to tell you that change is possible if you enter into this journey with your eyes wide open, and with real intention.” – David Hauser
  • “Part of the challenge that comes with striving for success is how the entire journey comes with its own fair share of failures and disappointments.” – Rupert Johnson
  • “The only thing that is ultimately real about your journey is the step that you are taking at this moment. That's all there ever is.” – Alan Watts
  • “Life is a journey and it's about growing and changing and coming to terms with who and what you are and loving who and what you are.” – Kelly McGillis
  • “Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived.” – Captain Jean-Luc Picard
  • “I just constantly tell myself that I should be the only one to define my worth and what I'm capable of and how I perceive myself. And that I should never source that worth from other people, especially strangers on social media. They don't know who I am, the length of my journey, who I am as a person.” – Catriona Gray
  • “ You have learned a lot, but there are still lots of learning for you as you journey through life. Never stop learning.” – Kate Summers

enjoy the journey as much as the destination meaning

  • “One of the most important things that I have learned in my 57 years is that life is all about choices. On every journey you take, you face choices. At every fork in the road, you make a choice. And it is those decisions that shape our lives.” – Mike DeWine
  • “I'm different than most people. When I cross the finish line of a big race, I see that people are ecstatic, but I'm thinking about what I'm going to do tomorrow. It's as if my journey is everlasting, and there is no finish line.” – David Goggins
  • “The journey matters as much as the destination. By engaging at the moment on set, I've stopped rushing and now find pleasure in the collaborative process – the characters, the costumes – rather than worrying about the finished product.” – Michelle Dockery
  • “It's a life's journey of finding ourselves, finding our power, and living for yourself, not for everyone else.” – Mariska Hargitay

Final Thoughts on Life & Journey

Life is a journey, and we all take different paths.

There are those who take the road less traveled and enjoy unique accomplishments, while others go with the crowd but still end up loving the lives they’ve chosen as well. Regardless of our choices, we will all have the potential to become successful in the ways we personally define success.

We hope that these quotes inspired you to enjoy your life’s journey and make it more meaningful. Enjoy the moment and live happy!

And if you want more inspirational quotes, be sure to check out these blog posts:

  • 63 Inspiring Walt Whitman Quotes About Life
  • 51 Do What Makes You Happy Quotes for 2023
  • 107 Quotes About Overcoming Adversity and Challenges in Your Life

Finally, if you want to use these quotes to make a lasting change to your life, then check out and recite these 57 affirmations for success .

quotes about journey and destination | life journey quotes | beautiful journey quotes

Gordon C. Nagayama Hall, Ph.D.

It's the Journey, Not the Destination—or Is It?

Culture influences our focus on the past, present, or future..

Posted January 30, 2018

Lisa Fotios/Pexels

Current culture in the United States emphasizes a focus on the present . “It’s the journey, not the destination”. It’s not where you’ve been or where you’re going. What is important is where you are now.

Scripture in the Book of Matthew tells us to be like birds who don’t worry. Worrying cannot add a single hour to our lives. A popular song when I was young told us to “ live for today and don’t worry ‘bout tomorrow”. Recent research shows that mindfulness meditation , which focuses on the present, reduces depression .

But what if the destination is better than the journey? Arriving in Hawaii is much better than the plane trip there. And being in Hawaii is much better than the plane trip back. The plane trips are tolerable only by anticipating being in Hawaii or good memories of being there. Sometimes where you’ve been or where you’re going is better than where you are.

A focus on the present sometimes has negative consequences. In a study of over 72,000 social media users, a focus on the present was associated with depression. In contrast, those who focused on the future were less likely to be depressed. If the present is unpleasant, an ability to see past it can be helpful. Eleanor Roosevelt said that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams .

Research shows that focusing on the past can also have mental health benefits. These include recovery from depression and trauma . Analyzing a past problem can provide a perspective on it. As George Santayana famously said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it".

Not everyone is as focused on the present as people in the United States are. People from East Asia have been found to be more focused on the past and future than people in the United States. This is because the past and future provide a context for the present. People in East Asia tend to be more interdependent than those in the United States. Relationships are highly valued. So, focusing on the past and future guides one to behave in a way that will maintain relationships.

A key reason that people in the United States are more focused on the present than people in East Asia is that they are also focused on themselves . People in the United States tend to be independent . They are not as concerned about how their present behavior will affect past or future relationships. But an extreme focus on the self— narcissism —can result in depression for oneself and for others .

A balance between the past, present, and future is needed. And a balance between the self and others. Where you’ve been, where you are, and where you are going are all important. And who you’re with.

Dawood, S., & Pincus, A. L. (2017). Pathological Narcissism and the Severity, Variability, and Instability of Depressive Symptoms. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment . Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/per0000239

Gao, X. (2016). Cultural differences between East Asian and North American in temporal orientation. Review of General Psychology , 20 (1), 118-127. doi: 10.1037/gpr0000070

Goldberg, S. B., Tucker, R. P., Greene, P. A., Davidson, R. J., Wampold, B. E., Kearney, D. J., & Simpson, T. L. (2018). Mindfulness-based interventions for psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review , 59 , 52-60. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2017.10.011

Markus, H. R., & Kitayama, S. (1991). Culture and the self: Implications for cognition, emotion, and motivation. Psychological Review , 98 , 224–253. doi: 10.1037/0033-295X.98.2.224

Park, G., Schwartz, H. A., Sap, M., Kern, M. L., Weingarten, E., Eichstaedt, J. C., . . . Seligman, M. E. P. (2017). Living in the past, present, and future: Measuring temporal orientation with language. Journal of Personality , 85 (2), 270-280. doi: 10.1111/jopy.12239

Tokarev, A., Phillips, A. R., Hughes, D. J., & Irwing, P. (2017). Leader dark traits, workplace bullying, and employee depression: Exploring mediation and the role of the dark core. Journal of Abnormal Psychology , 126 (7), 911-920. doi: 10.1037/abn0000299

Watkins, E. R. (2008). Constructive and unconstructive repetitive thought. Psychological Bulletin , 134 (2), 163-206. doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.134.2.163

Gordon C. Nagayama Hall, Ph.D.

Gordon C. Nagayama Hall, Ph.D. , is a professor of psychology at the University of Oregon with a focus in culture and mental health.

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Journey vs. destination: Motivation experts break down which one to focus on to reach your goals

New studies reveal how to use metaphors to motivate yourself.

enjoy the journey as much as the destination meaning

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There's nothing more natural than using path- and travel-related metaphors. We've all spoken of "long roads ahead", "heading in the right direction", or "taking a wrong turn." Szu-Chi Huang and Jennifer Aaker , psychologists at the Stanford School of Business, say that path-metaphors aren't just a convenient way to describe our goals. They recently conducted six studies involving over 1,600 people who were pursuing fitness, diet, and educational goals and found that whether people focus on "the journey" or "the destination" makes a big difference to motivation and success. We reached out and asked about the differences between the two kinds of metaphors, and how we can use them to motivate ourselves at each stage on the way to our goals.

Journey versus destination

The destination is "like a dot on the map," says Huang, "It's the desired end-state of all our striving." If you're trying to lose 20 pounds, then 20 pounds lighter is the destination. According to Huang, thinking about the destination highlights the difference between where we are now and where we want to be: "Knowing there is an ideal state and they are not there yet, that gap motivates people," she says. It's not just the beauty of our goal, it's the pain of not yet having achieved it.

Journey metaphors, by contrast, "draw a line from your current state to your future state and illuminate what it looks like." Thinking about the journey calls our attention to all the things we'll need to do, the obstacles and milestones, the highs and lows along the way.

Starting the journey

Big goals can be exciting, but they don't come with directions. It's easy to say "I'm going to get into great shape this year," but that doesn't tell us what to do tomorrow. Therefore, thinking about the journey is especially important right at the beginning.

If you're setting out on a fitness journey, for example, Huang recommends prepping the same way you would for an actual physical trip. "What do we do when we're going on a trip? We buy the equipment we need: the appropriate shoes, the gym membership, whatever tools we need. We prepare by reading books or taking a course." Also, notes Huang, most people don't like to travel alone, so this is the time to find travelling companions with similar goals.

Focusing on the journey also "helps us to map out the milestones and sub-goals that we'll need to reach along the way." At the outset, focusing only on the final destination can be discouraging if we don't have a clear path to get there. Huang says setting out milestones gives us immediate direction, allows us to experience small successes along the way, and builds in opportunities to review whether our companions and equipment are still right for the next stage in the journey.

On the path to victory

According to Huang, whether we should keep our eyes on the prize or focus on putting one foot in front of the other depends on where we are in the journey.

In research for a 2017 article, she found that thinking about the destination can be demotivating in two ways. When our goals seem unattainable, "we tend to disengage because we don't like to commit to things that are impossible." This is especially a problem in the early stages of a journey when the destination is still far-off and we haven't proved to ourselves that we can hack it.

Yet we also disengage when goals are too attainable. "It's a tortoise and hare effect," says Huang, "Losing one more pound sounds simple and I won't care about it much, so maybe I'll just go grab a dessert." When a journey is going well and the end is in sight, small sub-goals seem less relevant and we start to slow down.

When this happens, "It's time to bring back that big destination." Huang suggests using visualization to help bring your final goal to life. "If I want to lose five pounds, I visualize the dress I want to look good in or imagine myself in a situation where my friends can compliment me on feeling so much fitter in my workout class." When we visualize things, it engages our emotions and makes it personally relevant. For Huang, saying she wants to "lose five pounds" won't do the trick, "A number is just a number. There's no emotion around it, no relevance."

How to keep climbing once you've reached the summit

When we reach our goals, it's normal to relax and forget about the long slog that got us there. This makes sense when our goals are limited in scope. But many goals are really about lasting personal change. As Aaker puts it, "The point of education is not the diploma, it's to keep learning in the future. The point of getting in shape is not to lose the extra five pounds, it's to keep the weight off and maintain your healthy habits into the future.… In this light, success isn't the short-run win; it's the subsequent activity that you adopt after you achieved your goal."

If we're trying to establish long-term changes, focusing on a destination that we've already reached might hurt our chances. We've closed the distance where we are and where we want to be that used to motivate us. This is why people tend to revert to their old behaviours once they've achieved a fitness or weight-loss goal. 

The six studies on fitness, dieting, and educational goal that Aaker and Huang recently published revealed that, "Across each of these studies thinking about success as a journey helps people see greater change and personal growth," says Aaker, "which fuels them to continue eating healthily and continue learning after achieving their original goals."

The reason that focusing on the journey helps people keep up their good behaviour is that it reminds us of the distance we have crossed, the gap between who we were when we set out and who we are now. "When we have positive change, we want to hold onto it. We don't want to go back to how we were," says Huang.

It also helps us internalize the behaviours that we used on the way. As Huang puts it, "If I think about the journey, I feel like I've changed. I'm now the person who works out or is mindful about eating." And when the behaviours become part of her identity, Huang says "I'll do it with or without reward. You don't need to incentivize me and give me points for going to the gym anymore, this is part of who I am."

How do we take advantage of this powerful effect? When you've achieved a goal, take some time to reflect on how you got there. Think of the ups and downs on the way and link the behaviours that you used with the positive change that you experienced. To make this reflection more powerful, Huang recommends documenting your progress along the way. "Take photos if it's a physical change. Journal and take notes along the way, the more personal the better." If you haven't recorded your journey, says Huang, it's still worth doing. "Close your eyes and think for a few minutes about what happened last month. What changed in the last month? These are the things we want to make a connection to using this journey mindset." Either way, the key is to find a sense of positive growth and link it to the behaviours that helped you achieve your goals.

Clifton Mark writes about philosophy, psychology, politics, and other life-related topics. Find him  @Clifton_Mark  on Twitter.

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enjoy the journey as much as the destination meaning

Why It Is Important To Enjoy The Journey & The Destination.

March 17, 2021 Blog , Clients Leave a comment

enjoy the journey

3 Powerful Reasons Why We Must Learn To Love And Enjoy The Journey Of Our Life.

“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” – Arthur Ashe –

We are all on a journey towards a destination. That destination could be to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee or to climb the summit of Mount Everest.

We may have a goal to purchase a new car, start our own business, travel to another country, change careers or get married and have a family. Every destination presupposes a journey and that journey is in most cases much longer than the time spent at the destination.

If you tend to get caught up not enjoying the journey, and only focusing on the destination, you need to explore the following reasons why the journey in some cases is far more important than the destination or goal.

Reason No 1 – We spend 99% of our time on the journey. That’s right, we spend most of our time on the journey of our life. We reach our goal and we are back on another journey towards another destination.

Doesn’t it make so much more sense to enjoy the 99% as well as the 1% destination? Makes perfect sense to me.  

Planning for a holiday is a good example. What’s the best part of a holiday? For me, it’s the days, weeks, or months before the actual holiday. We are so looking forward to the holiday that we can already start to enjoy it now, in our imagination, before we even pack our bags.

When we stop to think that our whole life is a journey of one sort or another. We are always on the journey of life towards a specific destination.

Let’s put things in perspective and start to enjoy our journey, so when we do reach our destination, it will be all that much more enjoyable.

Reason No2 – Keep an elevated emotion to attract the destination.

When we understand how energy works in our life, we realize that like energy attract each other.

I need to be vibrating at the same energy frequency during the journey as the energy frequency at the destination. When I can do this, I will be pulling that destination much closer, sooner, into my reality.

When I’m not enjoying the journey, frustrated, upset, or angry I will be a miss-match of energy at my destination, and I will be pushing it away, I will be repelling rather than attracting.

Everything is energy so we need to understand how to vibrate at the same energy frequency as my destination.

Not only will I enjoy the journey more, but I will also reach my destination sooner in most cases.

Reason No3 – Expand our positive life experience.

I’m a coach, and I’m passionate about helping Entrepreneurs, Business Owners, and C Level Management to enjoy their moment-to-moment life experiences and their destinations.

Our life is one big experience that we are having every moment of the day. When business Executives are so focused on the outcome, destination or goal they tend to lose the ability to enjoy the present moment.

This is a psychological muscle that has become so weak over the years of building the business. It’s become so weak they have forgotten how to expand their positive experience of the present moment.

By expanding our positive experience of the present moment we become a different person. We are happier, more relaxed and focused, more creative, and easier to work with.

If we live in the fight or flight mode for too long, worrying about the future destination, not being present, not enjoying the journey, we risk our own health and the health of the company.

“ The great science to live happily is to live in the present.” PYTHAGORAS

Conclusion:

Have your destination, your outcomes, and goals, and remember they exist so we can become the person to own them.

The journey is a becoming. It’s becoming the person we need to be to be able to have the destination. If my destination is to be a millionaire, I need to become a millionaire before I can have the million dollars.

All the work, growth, expansion, and enjoyment are in the journey, not the destination. Once we arrive at the destination it will be so much more enjoyable if I first was able to enjoy the journey. After a few deep breaths and enjoying the destination, we are back on another journey.

Paul Simos is an accomplished Executive Life Coach, Health Coach & Certified Trainer. He has a fundamental belief about his clients which frames how they work together i.e. they already have everything they need to achieve success. His role as a coach is to stimulate and challenge his clients to unlock their successful beliefs, skills, and behavior patterns.   Free Masterclass Training , How To Get More Successful Outcomes In Your Professional & Personal Relationships… By Saying “NO” (The Right Way)…

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Why happiness is a journey, not a destination (and 5 ways to enjoy the ride)

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Instead of striving for happiness through end goals or objects, try cultivating day-to-day well-being. Because, as Calvin Holbrook  explains, science shows that happiness really is a journey and not a destination.

'Happiness is a journey, not a destination’ is an often-heard saying, and many people would argue that the search for well-being is the greatest motivator of all humankind. But does this motto really hold true? And what does science have to say on the subject?  

The expression suggests that humans shouldn’t believe that reaching a certain life goal will award them with happiness. The destination in question could be one of numerous end-points we're often striving for in life: that dream job, buying a first home, meeting the perfect partner, or snagging that huge pay rise you've been working so hard for.   

RELATED:  Money can't buy happiness (except when you spend it like this!)

Chances are if you do reach one of your destination life goals, you may indeed feel happier – but only temporarily. Why? Because of our happiness set-point .  

Happiness journey vs destination: set-point

happiness-journey-not-destination.jpg

Our set-point largely determines our overall well-being, and all of us have different levels. Therefore, those with higher set-points will be happier most of the time compared with those that have a less joyful outlook (due to their lower set-point).

Going through our life journey, we oscillate around this set-point. Unhappy life events shift happiness levels below their set-point while positive or exciting events boost your happiness levels above it.  

RELATED: Is happiness genetic?

However, sooner or later, when that event becomes normalized or changes, happiness levels return to the original set-point (for example, when we feel the 'holiday blues' after coming back from the high of a recent holiday).

Likewise, once you reach your supposed happiness destination, it may not last, or something may get in the way of the perceived happiness you thought it would bring. For example, after getting what you thought was your dream job, you actually discovered it brought you a lot of negative stress due to the additional workload (and your demanding new boss). That dream new apartment you bought? Well, the noisy neighbours upstairs are doing their best to destroy your peace. Just met your 'perfect' partner? You'll soon discover all the things about them that drive you up the wall! Well, you get the picture.

“Chances are if you do reach one of your destination life goals, you will indeed feel happier – but only temporarily.”

Additionally, at some point these final destinations may dissolve all together. Indeed, as the only consistent thing in life is change, believing that happiness is a destination rather than the journey itself makes little sense.   In fact, this pursuit of happiness – the constant desire and drive to achieve things we believe will boost our well-being and joy – often ends in disappointment (the so-called ‘ happiness trap ’. )

Improving your journey to happiness

As discussed, according to Lyubomirsky, our genetic set-point is responsible for around 50 per cent of our happiness. The remainder depends on our circumstances (10 per cent ) and our life activity (40 per cent).

However, some studies suggest that by changing our day-to-day life activity – focusing on our journey and not a final destination – we can boost our internal set-point to a higher level and become happier. Indeed, there are many smaller, everyday activities we can choose to improve our general well-being. So, here are five that you can employ right away.

Studies show we can fix our happiness set point higher by helping others. In fact, according to one — analyzing data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Survey – the trait most strongly linked to long-term happiness increases is a regular commitment to altruism. It showed that the more compassionate we are, the happier our life journey seems to be.   RELATED: The benefits of kindness

This was backed up by another study by Sonja Lyubomirsky published in the Review of General Psychology in 2005. When she had students perform five weekly acts of kindness over a period of six weeks, they noticed a significant increase in happiness levels compared to a control group of students.  

2. Practise gratitude

Cultivating gratitude is scientifically-proven to increase your happiness journey, and is one of the simplest life changes you can make as it requires little effort.  

“As the only consistent thing in life is change, believing that happiness is a destination rather than the journey really makes little sense.”

According to a 2003 report in the journal of Social Behavior and Personality , grateful people tend to appreciate simple pleasures (defined as "those pleasures in life that are available to most people”). Indeed, a study published in The Journal of Happiness Studies showed that writing a daily or weekly gratitude journal can make finding happiness easier.  

3. Meditate

Starting your day with just five to 10 minutes of meditation will help you to develop your happiness. Try meditating in the morning shortly after waking: the immediate heightened inner clarity it will give you will set you up for the rest of the day.

happiness-journey-not-destination-meditation.jpg

And, according to Psychology Today , meditation is the strongest mental practice that has the power to reset your happiness set point, thus turning you into a more joyful person: regular meditation practice can literally rewire your brain so you can become happier.  

4. Build quality relationships

If happiness is a journey and not a destination, then it’s the people that are with you on your journey that can make all the difference. Science is clear on this: you can find and maintain happiness through developing quality relationships.

Humans are a social species and need regular contact. In a 75-year, multigenerational study , Robert Waldinger measured happiness levels in people from Boston’s poorest neighborhoods. He found that the most joyful were those with high-quality social connections.

5. Choose happiness

Bronnie Ware, a palliative care nurse who devoted her career to working with end-of-life patients, found a theme in those coming to the end of their lives: they has a deep regret about not ‘letting’   themselves be happy. Ware, the author of The Top Five Regrets Of The Dying , penned a blog for the Huffington Post , in which she wrote: 

“Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice . They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives.

“Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again ... Life is a choice. It is your life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness .”

RELATED: Cherophobia – the fear of happiness explained

Conclusions

All to often we are led to believe that by obtaining goals or possessions we will feel happier. But the reality is – and science agrees – that when we reach those destinations, our happiness levels quickly return to their original set-point. Indeed, happiness often leads to success, but success does not always lead to happiness. Instead, research shows that the best way to maintain consistent well-being is to focus on the everyday changes you can make in your life, with altruism, gratitude and quality relationships being important factors: happiness really is a journey and not a destination. 

In fact, research in the field of positive psychology has shown that happiness is a choice that anyone can make. As psychologist William James put it, “The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human can alter his life by altering his attitude.” ●

Main image: shutterstock/Olga Danylenko

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Written by Calvin Holbrook

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Candy

Posted August 16, 2021

Reminds me of the verse by Alfred D. Souza that goes:

"Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life.

But there was always some obstacle in the way, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid.

At last, it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.

This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness. 

HAPPINESS IS THE WAY.

So treasure every moment you have and remember that 

time waits for no one."

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Link to comment, share on other sites.

Posted June 24, 2021

Happiness is a journey. I am not sure if I agree with the picture. However, I agree with the point made in the article. Happiness is not a destination that you reach, and then it's all sorted. The picture of the journey still implies a destination, and that's what seems wrong to me. I'll keep thinking of an image that resonates better with me.

Li****

Posted May 11, 2021

Such an interesting article, and I think it's always important to remind ourselves that happiness is a journey, not a destination. It's so easy to think you'll be happy once you've reached a certain goal, but the most important thing is really to enjoy the journey you are on and look for happiness in the smallest thing along the way. Don't compare yourself to others! 

Posted October 5, 2020

The purpose of this letter is to express my appreciation for sharing your valuable insight into personal growth. Its articles like “Why happiness is a journey, not a destination (and 5 key ways to enjoy the ride)” which gives those who are struggling hope for the future, as it pushes them to keep fighting their depression. I admire your view on happiness and your explanation of how it is a journey and not a destination. I also appreciate that you have provided readers with an amazing set of healthy coping strategies such as being kind and practicing gratitude. As when a person is depressed and/or anxious it may become very tempting to turn to unhealthy coping strategies such as drugs or alcohol to provide an ‘easy way out.’ However, these unhealthy coping mechanisms provide temporary happiness and will end up making them feel worse in the end. I thank you for taking the time to provide those who are struggling, with healthy and natural ways to bring themselves some relief. 

Robby

Posted April 30, 2019

Nice article

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Happiness.com » Magazine » PERSONAL GROWTH » Why happiness is a journey, not a destination (and 5 ways to enjoy the ride)

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Why Life Really is a Journey and Not a Destination

  • January 7th, 2019

Ralph Waldo Emerson is often credited with the iconic cliche (made famous by Aerosmith in their 1992 hit single, Amazing), “Life is a journey, not a destination.”

In fact, Emerson never wrote those words. It’s possible what he did write was its impetus:

“To finish the moment, to find the journey’s end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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enjoy the journey as much as the destination meaning

I’ve always hated the “Life is a journey” meme. Life is about the destination. It’s about where you finish. Did you win or lose? If it isn’t, what the heck are we doing all this work for? Maybe it was being raised in rural Upstate New York, watching my working-class parents show up and “Do the work” every day without any tangible improvement in our lives. Maybe it’s that as a kid, I never had a vision of what I wanted my life to be… other than better. I knew I needed to get out of my small town and anything beyond that seemed like gravy. That life could ever be about the painful grind of the “Journey” seemed a sentiment more suited for the privileged and self-indulgent. Then I read  The Artist’s Way  by Julia Cameron in 2013. The Artist’s Way My reason for reading The Artist’s Way was how terrible I felt after committing to writing my first book,  Content Warfare. I wanted the goal (or, in context, the destination) of publishing a collection of stories outlining the evergreen content marketing tactics and strategies I’d used to dominate my local marketplace. The problem was I had no idea how to write a book. The task felt overwhelming. My son, Duke, was only six months old, and I still had a full-time job at the insurance agency. There was no “Extra time” to sit and write a book. In The Artist’s Way, Cameron outlines her “Morning Pages” ritual (the daily practice of writing three unscripted stream-of-consciousness pages each morning). Cameron’s morning pages gave me a process, and the process gave me hope. “As you move toward a dream, the dream moves toward you.” ~  Julia Cameron

As crazy as this might sound, I’d never set a specific process against a goal before sticking to it. Not in sports, not in school, and certainly not at work.

It turns out cliche motivational advice can still be good advice.

Publishing Content Warfare wasn’t nearly as satisfying as the grind of producing the work. Writing a book is mentally and emotionally exhausting, but you also get the opportunity to open your creativity valve.

I forgot about writing a book.

I forgot about the deadline.

I forgot about what other people might think about a certain idea.

I just wrote.

Every day I wrote.

Slowly, word by word, page by page, day by day, I began to find enjoyment in the process of writing.

This hasn’t always been the case.

Early on, the joy of writing was publishing. All I wanted to do was hit publish. I couldn’t wait. I wanted to see my work live. I wanted others to engage with it and send me those little gratifying hits of dopamine we’ve all grown to need.

The crap I’ve published to have something new to share… ugh. But those five grueling months, grinding through Content Warfare, changed everything.

Now it’s all about the process: from research to narrative design to adding supporting media and editing. The process is satisfaction.

Today it takes me twice as long to publish an article as it did when I started writing.

At face value, it feels like the opposite should be true. But this is the dirty little secret of writing, as you mature into the skill, writing doesn’t become easier or faster.

You hold yourself to higher standards and demand more from the articles you share with the world. And it is through relenting to process doing the work that I finally came to understand the cliche, “It’s the journey, not the destination.”

SOLUTION: NO MORE GOALS

When we focus on the goal over the process, we open ourselves up to fear and doubt.

“The amateur believes he must first overcome his fear; then he can do his work. The professional knows that fear can never be overcome. He knows there is no such thing as a fearless warrior or a dread-free artist.” ~ Steven Pressfield, The War of Art

We put the goal on a pedestal. As  James Clear writes ,

Winners and losers have the same goals.
Winners fall in love with the process (the journey).
“The opposite of fear is love — love of the challenge, love of the work, the pure joyous passion to take a shot at our dream and see if we can pull it off.” ~ Steven Pressfield, Do the Work

Winners fall in love with the process because that’s all they can control.

In a recent episode of  Tim Ferriss’s podcast , Jason Fried, founder of Basecamp, shared his perspective on goals:

“I don’t have any goals. I’ve never had any goals. Goals are not something that I pay attention to. I just sort of do what I feel like is the right thing to do in any given situation.”

Fried went on to explain:

“For me, I don’t want to compare myself to an idea I had two years prior of where I wanted to be. I don’t know where I’m going to want to be in two years. So, to set a goal that’s long-term, in some cases you’re actually setting it for who you are when you set it versus who you are when you’re going to get there.”

Goals are made up.

Worse, they’re made up to fit who you are today or who you think you may want to be. Neither of which is who you will be when you get there.

Instead, I recommend giving  James Clear’s Compass Theory  a try:

“The problem with a treasure hunt is that most people spend all of their time thinking about the treasure. The fastest way to get to a particular spot, however, is to set your compass and start walking. The idea here is to commit to your goal with the utmost conviction. Develop a clear, single-minded focus for where you are headed. Then, however, you do something strange. You release the desire to achieve a particular outcome and focus instead on the slow march forward. Pour all of your energy into the journey, be present in the moment, be committed to the path you are walking. Know that you are moving unwaveringly in one clear direction and that this direction is right for you, but never get wrapped up in a particular result or achieving a certain goal by a specific time. In other words, your goal becomes your compass, not your buried treasure. The goal is your direction, not your destination. The goal is a mission that you are on, a path that you follow. Whatever comes from that path — whatever treasure you happen to find along this journey — well, that’s just fine. It is the commitment to walking the path that matters.”

Using Clear’s metaphor, if your goal drives motivation, you’re leaving yourself open to lose course, lose hope, and ultimately never find the destination you seek.

However, by always focusing on the compass, you can easily adapt and adjust course as needed, staying true to the process.

Consistent forward progress for the win.

Worry about what you can control: the quality of your work and how often you produce that work.

These form the foundation of your process.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t set goals, don’t get all messed up about them.

Instead, focus every ounce of your energy on what you’re doing to get there.

It is amazing that a worn-out cliche, such as “Life is a journey, not a destination,” can be cemented at the center of so much truth.

Ryan Hanley

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How to Enjoy the Journey; Happiness is not a Destination

by Adam Eason | Jul 14, 2022 | Blog | 0 comments

enjoy the journey as much as the destination meaning

“ Happiness is a direction, not a place”- Sydney Harris.

We often get so caught up chasing after goals or our dreams that we forget that real happiness can be found in the journey. You may think that you will be happy once you get the promotion you have wanted for so long, or you will be happy once you fulfil your lifelong dream of travelling the world. But the truth is that happiness usually lies in the journey and not just the outcome. With each dream, you have fulfilled or each goal you have accomplished, you may well continue to push the goalpost further and further away or continue to set further goals and work towards additional dreams.

As it turns out, no dream or goal is likely to make us happy forever. You may use your dreams and goals to motivate you, but don’t let your dreams get in the way of enjoying the journey of life to the fullest. Remember that you can give it your best shot but can’t always totally control the outcome. So, don’t let your happiness depend upon the outcome; try to make the most of the present moments – those that make up your actual life.

Once you do so, you will begin seeing things differently. You would start looking at the journey as an opportunity to learn rather than as a series of challenging landscapes you have to cross for your dreams to come true, appreciate what life throws at you because it will allow you to develop and grow stronger. You will stop looking for shortcuts to success and respect the progress you have made so far.

Here today are seven ways to enjoy life’s journey without missing it and getting bogged down with a destination so many get consumed with.

  • Be grateful for the present moment.

Practising gratitude for all you have can make you see how lucky, privileged, and abundant you are. Don’t associate being grateful with settling for what you have. You can be grateful for what you have and still strive for more of your dreams to come true. Being grateful for what you have will allow you to enjoy the journey rather than depend on the destination as your only source of happiness.

Therefore, instead of being upset and sad that your business is not necessarily taking off, be grateful that you have accomplished your lifelong dream of running a business of your own. Be positive; hopefully, you will bounce back from this setback stronger. Don’t take anything for granted, and practice gratitude every day. Try listing down the things you have and the things you are grateful for every day. This list will remind you about the good that has befallen you, and this practice will keep negative thoughts at bay and make you much more optimistic.

You have so much to be grateful for. You are beautiful, strong, healthy, and resilient. Not only will being more grateful serve as a mood booster, but it will also positively affect your mental and physical well-being and allow you to enjoy the journey of life in a much better way.

  • Identify how you want to feel.

You think you will be happy once you buy your dream house. This likely means that it is not the house you are after; it is the happiness it brings you that you want. You may not necessarily want a lot of money ; rather, you want to feel the freedom and confidence that comes with it.

You may not want the big promotion; you may want the respect and appreciation that comes with it. It is how certain achievements make you feel that you are usually striving for, not the things themselves. So do more things that make you feel respected, worthy, and happy. If you spend more of your life feeling how you want to feel when you reach the destination, you will be able to enjoy your life much more. If you have no clue how you can identify the way you want to feel, don’t worry.

On a daily basis, list two to three feelings that you want to feel. It can be happy, appreciated, respected, peaceful, satisfied, or joyful, for example. Then on the same piece of paper, write how you can create a situation that makes you feel that way right now instead of waiting to get to the destination. Then make those feelings happen. Schedule activities that would make you feel the way you want.

  • Know that we spend all our time on the journey

We are always on the journey. We accomplish a dream, reach the destination, and then move on to the next journey. So, it naturally makes sense to enjoy the journey where you spend most of your time. Once you realise that it is the journey on which you spend most of your time, you will begin to enjoy your life much more. An example of holidays is relevant here. Most of us enjoy the holidays before Christmas more than Christmas itself. So, think of your journey as the holidays before Christmas and start enjoying it right now.

  • Set milestones for yourself

While setting goals for yourself, make sure you break them into smaller milestones to make your journey more doable and uplifting. You can use the SMART goal criteria to plan and achieve your goals. SMART is a mnemonic acronym that George Doran first proposed. S stands for specific, M for measurable, A for achievable, R for realistic, and T for time-bound (though I prefer ‘Trackable’).

Setting goals using this criterion would allow you to get better results. Breaking down your ultimate goal into smaller goals would help you acknowledge the real progress you have made. It would motivate you and make you want to continue the journey. You will realise that you are constantly learning and making progress, which will help you keep going. Not doing so can make you feel demotivated compared to breaking down your ultimate goal into smaller milestones.

Seeing that you have spent this much time and money but have not achieved your goal can make you despair. So, set realistic and achievable goals for yourself that make you want to continue the journey and make it more joyful. Then enjoy the steps you take to get there and celebrate your progress along the way.

  • Establish a routine for yourself

Creating a routine for yourself makes you closer to accomplishing your goal. Thus, in a way, it routinely makes you feel happier. On the other hand, not having a routine can make you feel the opposite of happy. It can cause you a great deal of stress and anxiety, hampering your productivity. According to Rachel Goldman, a licensed psychologist in NYC specialising in health and wellness, “when people don’t have a routine or structure to their day, it can cause increased stress and anxiety, as well as overwhelming feelings, lack of concentration, and focus.

” The word “routine” can be scary for some people as they feel it robs away their freedom. If you are one of those people, our advice is to see routine as a way of making your life more organised and productive. Break away from the stereotypes and stop thinking of having a routine as a cool thing, eliminating spontaneity and surprise from life. Not having a routine can increase the feelings of distress.

So, if you want to create a routine for yourself, Dr Goldman’s advice is that “a good place to start with creating a new routine is to set wake-up and bedtimes, as well as mean and activity times.” Hopefully, a routine will add more structure to your destination and make your journey more productive and satisfying for you. Read this brilliant article for more on this topic: Why you need routine in your life .

  • Don’t focus on what you don’t have.

It is only human to make unhealthy comparisons and be hard on ourselves for things we don’t have. But just because our brains normally work this way doesn’t mean we have to stay this way. Good news! Science has discovered that we can re-grow our brain cells and change the structure and function of our brains by changing how we think. This means we don’t always have to be victims of unfair comparisons. It is important to realise that comparing yourself with others can negatively affect your mental wellbeing. It robs you of all the joy and causes you unhappiness. Comparing yourself with others is a trap. It makes you feel unsatisfied with life and overcomplicates your life. Read this article for more on this topic: Stop Comparing Yourself to Others .

Moreover, when you compare yourself with others, you tend to feel insecure about your accomplishments in life. This leads to misery, jealousy, and self-destructive behaviour. Don’t fall into this rabbit hole. You can easily put an end to this habit by focusing on things you do have. When you focus on the things you do have, you feel motivated, empowered, and confident. You start believing in yourself and become more resilient. It gives you the courage to bounce back from any setback that you might experience in your journey.

Moreover, it changes your outlook on life. You become more positive, which helps you enjoy the journey of life. So if you feel that you haven’t featured in a lot of films, unlike all the other popular actors, remind yourself of your acting skills. Doing so will motivate you since you will know it is just a matter of time before you get your big role.

A good way to enjoy the journey on your own instead of missing out on it because of your destination is to unplug now and then. Unplugging ourselves from technology and work can help us get more clarity in life. Although it is good to have goals to focus on, it is important to realise that the burnout culture is extremely detrimental to our health. It causes physical and mental stress and also manipulates us into thinking that our destination is our happiness, robbing us of our happiness and freedom.

Unplugging allows us to live in the present moment and savour it. It makes us appreciate the present and embrace that there are things beyond our control. We have a few tips for you if you struggle with work-life balance and find it hard to unplug. Don’t answer any work-related calls or emails after working hours. You can set up technology-free zones. For example, no phone or gadget in the dining room or bedroom.

Practice mindfulness. The mindfulness exercise aims to focus and live in the present moment and understand your present feelings without self-judgment. Mindfulness practices such as breathing exercises, meditation, and guided imagery are scientifically proven to fight anxiety, help reduce stress and relax the body and mind. Simple mindfulness practice can make a big difference in how you see yourself and your life. Hopefully, learning how to unplug will help divert your focus from the endgame to the journey.

The journey of life is one of the most beautiful things life has to offer. So, don’t miss it! Don’t second guess yourself and change your path just because you have received a few minor setbacks. And don’t waste your journey by searching exclusively for happiness in the outcome.

Although changing your concept of happiness is hard, it is not impossible. Remember that your destination will be so much more joyful if you enjoyed the journey that helped you reach this destination in our experience of setting milestones for ourselves, reminding ourselves that we spend most of our time on the journey, and being grateful for where we are works best when trying to learn how to enjoy the journey. All we have is right now. Life is short, so enjoy the journey for as long as it lasts. Stop seeing your destination as an accomplishment of a goal and let your destination be a surprise to you after a joyful and adventurous journey. And who knows? Maybe the destination we get to is a much better one than we imagined for ourselves.

It would only be right to end this article with a quote by Greg Anderson, “focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.”

Happy travelling!

Has this piqued your interest in this field? Then have a read of these pages:

1.  Would you like a satisfying and meaningful career as a hypnotherapist helping others? Are you a hypnotherapist looking for stimulating and career enhancing continued professional development and advanced studes? Explore the pages of this website. Adam Eason’s Anglo European training college . 2. Are you a hypnotherapist looking to fulfil your ambitions or advance your career? Hypnotherapist Mentoring with Adam Eason .

Likewise, if you’d like to learn more about self-hypnosis, understand the evidence based principles of it from a scientific perspective and learn how to apply it to many areas of your life while having fun and in a safe environment and have the opportunity to test everything you learn, then come and join me for my one day seminar which does all that and more, have a read here:  The Science of Self-Hypnosis Seminar . Alternatively, go grab a copy of my  Science of self-hypnosis  book.

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enjoy the journey as much as the destination meaning

Why you need to enjoy the journey, not the destination.

"life's about the journey...not the destination"..

It’s a quote many of us have heard or read before… “enjoy the journey, not the destination”. 

Inspirational quotes like this are not for everyone, but can be quite interesting. Read them with a certain mindset and you see them for what they are. Words put together to maybe make you stop and think for a second. 

End goals and destinations are great, but if that is your only focus, you will miss out on so much. You could be blinkered by your destination and what’s worse, your destination may actually let you down in a big way (have you ever heard the saying “the grass isn’t always greener on the other side”?) So why not enjoy the journey along the way.

Don’t mistake enjoy the journey with take it easy and party all the time either by the way! It can mean:

  • take stock of where you are in life.
  • figure out what is right for you.
  • if you want more, then chase it down.
  • prepare yourself for hard work and failures.
  • learn along the way.
  • pat yourself on the back when you need it most.
  • set small, realistic targets and celebrate them. 
  • accept the destination may not be all it’s cracked up to be. 

It's your choice.

If you were to ask a room of 100 people what they would like on their journey through life, let’s assume the vast majority would choose happiness. That’s all we really want isn’t it, to be happy in life? 

Some will say money or power, but most will say happiness, which brings us to enjoy your journey. It’s your choice how you choose to see things and react to them.

enjoy-the-journey-your-choice-blog

To give one example, it took my wife and I over 10 years to buy our home. We lived in lots of rented accommodations, some great, some not! There were days and weeks I thought we would never be in a position to buy our own home. We never let it get us down for long though and never thought we were entitled to anything. We just kept believing in the process and to be honest, we really had a great time along the way!

If we had obsessed ourselves with buying a home (the destination), those 10 years could have been wasted with only this end goal in sight. We could have been miserable as lots of things went against us. Instead, we chose to be happy with what we had, knowing that we were working towards a goal and that this would take time.

Have you ever reached a particular milestone in your life, and when you look back you realise it was the highs and lows along the way that helped you cherish it even more?

It’s your choice to view your situation how you want to. Try to look at your journey and appreciate it for what it is, don’t let the destination consume you. 

The journey takes longer.

Matt Williams writes “we won’t truly understand the journey until we have taken it…but let’s try”. That’s one reason this saying can sound annoying to people. Understanding why and what you are doing something for, may not take place until well after the time. We just need to believe it makes sense as long as we do our best and enjoy the process. 

Let’s look at some common “destinations”:

  • lose weight.
  • be “successful”.
  • have a big house.
  • get married.
  • have a “great job”.

One thing all of the above have in common, is they will generally take quite a bit of time and effort. Even then, some of those “destinations” may not be to your liking and you’ll have to start over.

That all means the journey can take up more of our time than the actual destination. Surely we owe it to ourselves to enjoy it along the way?

The destination will keep changing.

Life Chief Nation writer Grace put it well when she wrote:

“This idea of happiness coming after goal completion is actually backward. Once you’ve reached that goal, you’ll presumably create another goal and the cycle will continue. Happiness actually comes before the goal is completed. It begins with your journey”.

We always seem to want that little bit more, have you noticed that? You set a little goal, achieve it, feel great for a while then wonder what’s next?

If you agree with the above, then by default, that means our “destination” will keep changing too. It’s healthy to want to improve your situation, but if you focus all of your happiness on the destination, that means happiness is fleeting. Your goal will soon change, meaning you need to chase down that “destination” again. 

How exhausting would that be? Whereas if you enjoy the journey along the way to each “destination”, your level of happiness will be a lot more sustainable.

The destination might disappoint you.

Let’s take the bullet points listed as “destinations” above for a minute. You achieve what you think you wanted to achieve and something happens…you realise it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. You:

enjoy-the-journey-not-the-destination-your-choice-blog

  • don’t like your big job.
  • can’t afford your big house.
  • didn’t like what you graduated in.
  • married for the wrong reasons.

And so on! You have poured all your energy into that destination and realise it doesn’t make you happy. However, if you take the time to focus on the journey, or process, you might  figure out along the way “wait a minute, this isn’t what I want”. 

Taking time to reflect will give you the opportunity to adjust your goals and continue on your new path, filled with confidence and positivity. 

To conclude.

Life itself is a never ending journey. We set ourselves goals along the way and over time began to call them destinations. Then people somehow became obsessed with this “destination” thinking true happiness lay there. 

“Enjoy the journey, not the destination”…if you can accept this for what it means, all of a sudden you will be grateful for things you never even considered before and be all the happier for it. So go ahead…enjoy your journey!

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Journey vs. Destination: Why Life is a Journey, Not a Destination

Personal Growth  .  7 Min. Read . By: Devon Brown

W ith your permission, I’d like to tell you a story. A story that perfectly illustrates why, when it comes to the "journey vs. destination" conversation, the journey is in fact the more important of the two. 

I heard or read this story somewhere a while back (at least I think I did).

I may have come across it in a fitness magazine several years ago, but it’s been so long that I’m going to have to make up the name of the main character and fill in some of the details as I see fit.

Think of this story like one of those “based on a true story” movies. The names and characters may not be real... but the lesson sure is.

Heck, even the picture further down in this blog post is just one I found online that illustrated the point of the story perfectly… but hell if I know who the woman in the picture actually is (LOL) .

You may be wondering why I’ve decided to tell you such a story (given that I can‘t even remember where I heard it in the first place).

Honestly, it’s because I love you and I want to get a really important point across to you about “Journey vs. Destination” .

Besides, if me telling you an “Edutaining” (educational + entertaining) story gets you to have a positive shift in the way you understand life... then I’ll take it!

Not to mention the fact that I’m willing to bet you a clean, crisp $100 bill, that not only is the essence of this story true, but it’s probably happened dozens of times.

Truth be told...

The purpose of this story is, in part, to get you to understand the importance of NOT achieving your goals.

“But, Devon” you say ... ” I thought that I was supposed to have goals and strive to achieve them.”

Yes, you are.  But you also need to understand something about the journey you take when you strive to reach your goals.

before picture of Mary unhappy with her weight

(image source: Body-Buildin.com )

Just like Mary.

She had a goal (she also had a little lamb... HA! – just playing)

But in all seriousness...

Mary hated her weight...

So she set a goal (a.k.a. “destination”) to lose 20 pounds.

She started going to the gym, working out hard, lifting weights, eating right, and all that other stuff you’re supposed to do.

Week after week, Mary stuck to her plan.

But week after week, she found that the weight just would not come off.

But she didn’t give up (because she was committed to her goal).

Every time she stepped on the scale and didn’t like what it said, that just strengthened her resolve to work harder.

But after six full weeks of doing EVERYTHING she was supposed to do, the EXACT way she was supposed to do it, Mary hadn’t lost a single pound.

She was just as far away from her goal (destination) as the day she began.  

Now, let's stop here for a moment...

Sometimes the Journey is Better Than the Destination

Mary’s goal was to lose 20 pounds, right?

She took the actions she was supposed to take, right?

But she wasn’t moving any closer to her goal.

Now, be honest. Would you, at this point, have given up on your weight loss goal?

Well, if you would have given up, then you would’ve missed the gift that would’ve been discovered had you continued the JOURNEY .

Why Human Beings Must Embrace the Journey...

You see, what Mary discovered after six weeks of working out, is that her body is able to build muscle really easily.

So, while she was in fact losing fat, she was also, simultaneously, gaining muscle (but her weight remained the same because muscle is more dense than fat) .

In essence, the scale was lying to her.

The scale kept reading 138 lbs. (63 kg)…

But her body composition was completely different. Heck, on some days she even weighed MORE than her original weight.

Her body was in fact transforming, and it was becoming clearer not just when she looked at herself in the mirror, but in the compliments and attention she was getting. 

Noticing the changes to her body, Mary decided to stop looking at the scale, and embrace how easily she put on muscle.

A few months later she entered one of those fitness/figure competitions and took home 1 st place!

Today, she regularly competes in fitness competitions and is in love with her body (as she should be).

She weighs MORE than her original body weight, and to this day she never reached her goal (destination) of losing 20 lbs.

before and after picture of Mary

(Image Source:  Body-Buildin.com )

Life Lessons From This Journey vs. Destination Story

The point of this story is to get you to understand the REAL reason the journey is more important than the destination, and the point of setting goals .

The point of setting goals is NOT (necessarily ) to reach the goal. This is what most other websites and “gurus” miss.

(Besides, reaching the goal itself is often anti-climactic.)

PAY ATTENTION:  Because what I'm about to share with you is the "SEXY" of this article.  (Note: The “ SEXY ” is the main point/essence/big life-changing idea that you can take an apply to other areas of your life )

The Real Point Of Goal Setting Is Two-Fold

FIRST - The point of goal setting is to go through the process of growing as a person. That growth can ONLY be achieved by working towards a goal.

SECOND - The point of goal setting is to uncover new realities, truths, and new goals along the way. In other words, the purpose of goal setting (and taking action towards said goals) is to expose the gifts found along the JOURNEY .

Let Me Put It Another Way:

It’s like starting at point “A”...

Heading towards point “B” (your initial goal)...

And along the journey, you discover point “C”,  an even awesomer destination than point B, but one that you couldn’t see when you were at point “A”.

life is a journey not a destination illustration

Re-read the above statement, 2 or 3 more times… It’s the KEY to everything!! That is the SEXY!

Mary’s “goal” (her destination) was never to be a fitness competitor. It was to lose weight.

So, she started working hard towards that goal.

Along the way, she discovered a new path (one that she would’ve NEVER seen had she not embarked upon the journey toward her original goal).

Think about it…

Did Mary ever reach her original goal? Did she reach her desired outcome?

She failed miserably at it.

But in doing so she found a greater gift .

Funnily enough, that gift was found in her weighing MORE than she thought she wanted to weigh.

(Let that sink in for a moment!)

My Personal Journey vs. Destination Example...

I remember back in 2014 when I set a goal for myself of opening an office and managing a sales team that generated $300,000+ a month in sales.

I launched my company, did $100,000 in sales the first month, hired a business coach and a dozen new employees, and started marching towards my goal of $300,000 a month.

9 Months later I was broke.

I worked hard toward my goal but “failed” miserably at it.

But in my failure I discovered something.

I discovered that I had ZERO desire to run a sales team, work out of a “real” office, or do any of the other mess I was doing.

I also discovered that making six figures a month isn’t all it’s cracked up to be - if you have to exchange it for your happiness and sanity.

That failure caused me to change my entire business model.

Along the JOURNEY , I discovered what I really wanted my life and business to look like.

So, I downsized.

I sub-leased my office to another company.

I went from 12 employees to 5.

And I set it up so that everyone could work from home.

The end result…

I was 10X happier!

I hope it does.

And I hope that now when you hear people talking about "the journey vs. the destination", you understand exactly why people say the journey is the more important of the two.

Journey vs. Destination Quotes

I often like to end my blogs with a quote that inspires and motivates my readers.

In this case, the whole article is based on a famous quote. 

life is a journey not a destination quote card

So, instead, I'm going to share some fun history on that very quote...

Ralph Waldo Emerson is often credited for the famous quote, "Life is a journey, not a destination."

However, an exact match to that quote in his works has not been found. 

The Actual Ralph Waldo Emerson Quote

Ralph's closest related remark that he wrote goes...

"To finish the moment, to find the journey's end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

The closest match is actually from a 1920 periodical called "The Christian Advocate" that wrote:

"He wanted his friends to realize that life is a journey and not a destination; that the heart must be set upon those matters of character which are eternal and not upon those matters of sensation which pass away." -Lynn H. Hough

Other 'Journey Better Than Destination' Quotes

  • "Success is not a destination, but a journey." -anonymous, 1929
  • "Happiness is a journey, not a destination." -1935 story in the Clevelan Plain Dealer
  • "Life’s a journey not a destination and I just can’t tell just what tomorrow brings." -1993 Aerosmith song, Amazing

Basically, no one really knows who first used the words "life is a journey, not a destination" but it's good advice regardless. That's clear from the many iterations of the quote over the course of generations.

The life lesson is this: set goals to help move you forward, but enjoy the journey.

Never forget that life is a journey that teaches us along the way. Be prepared to adjust your path and go with the flow as you find new meaning and better dreams you couldn't predict.

How to Start Your Journey

The first steps of your journey should lay your foundation with a healthy mindset and a clear idea of the habits you need to form. Establishing those habits will be your true goal, just like establishing healthy habits ended up being Mary's true goal.

By the way...

If part of your journey includes a desire to become a better public speaker, or be more confident on stage, click the button below for a special free gift.

Read Next:  The Goal is NEVER the Goal

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Devon Brown  (“Duh-Von” not “Dev-in”) is a speaker, author, entrepreneur, former hip-hop dancer, and World's #1 Event Emcee. Once described as a sort-of ‘MC Hammer meets Tony Robbins’; his style is 50% education, 50% entertainment, and 100% must-experience. Be sure to connect with Devon on social media.

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100+ life journey quotes to inspire you.

Life is a journey. How often have you heard that?

As we find our road through life, we all need inspiration and guidance. And this is never so true as when we are travelling, especially as solo travellers. 

This can come from many sources: friends, family, self-help books. But sometimes, a simple quote about life’s journey can provide inspiration or make us view our path through a different lens. 

Drawing on the writings of authors and poets, scholars and spiritual leaders here are my favourite life journey quotes. Is your favourite there? 

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IN THIS ARTICLE

My Top 10 Life Journey Quotes

There are many quotes about life as a journey out there and picking a list of favourites is a tough call. From Maja Angelou to Mark Twain, here are those that continue to inspire me.

image of beach with life journey quote

1. Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away. – Maya Angelou

2. Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.   – Mark Twain

3. Remember where you have been and know where you are going. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way. – Nikita Koloff

4. We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.  – Paulo Coelho

You are far from the end of your journey. The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart. See how you love. Buddha

6. You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. – C.S. Lewis

7. When setting out on a journey do not seek advice from someone who never left home. – Rumi

LIFE JOURNEY QUOTE 1

One of the greatest journeys in life is overcoming insecurity and learning to truly not give a shit.  J. A. Konrath

9. Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant. – Robert Louis Stevenson 

10. Sometimes life takes you on a journey that changes everything you thought you wanted. – Melaina Rayne

Life Journey Quotes: First Steps

Every journey begins with a single step. Taking that first step is often the hardest part of any endeavour, whether that’s booking your first trip alone , quitting your job or moving overseas.

Be inspired to take the plunge with these inspirational life journey quotes.

image of fir trees in snow with life journey quote

11. Big things have small beginnings. – Prometheus 

12. The only impossible journey is the one you never begin . – Tony Robbins

13. A little step may be the beginning of a great journey. – Unknown

14. If all difficulties were known at the outset of a long journey, most of us would never start out at all. – Dan Rather

15. Sometimes, reaching out and taking someone’s hand is the beginning of a journey. – Vera Nazarian

Beginning are usually scary and ending are usually sad, but it’s everything in between that makes it all worth living. Bob Marley

LIFE JOURNEY QUOTE 11

The Next Steps: Quotes on the Journey of Life

But that first step is just that; the first step on the road of life. Life – and travel – can present a series of obstacles to overcome.

17. Life’s journey is a collection of stories. Make yours a bestseller. – The Flashpacker ( Bridget Coleman )

graphic with an inspirational quote on the journey of life

18. One may walk over the highest mountain one step at a time. – John Wanamaker

19 . … a journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it. – John Steinbeck

20. To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping. – Chinese Proverb 

21. Life is a journey. When we stop, things don’t go right. – Pope Francis

LIFE JOURNEY QUOTE 3

22. The only thing that is ultimately real about your journey is the step that you are taking at this moment. That’s all there ever is. – Alan Watts

23. Life is a journey, travel it well. – Unknown

The key to realising a dream is to focus not on success but significance, and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning.  Oprah Winfrey 

25. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. – Helen Keller

26. No journey is too great, when one finds what one seeks. – Friedrich Nietzsche

27. Aim for the sky, but move slowly, enjoying every step along the way. It is all those little steps that make the journey complete.  – Chanda Kochhar

man walking across empty beach in koh yao yai thailand at dusk

28. A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike . – John Steinbeck

29. No journey is too great, when one finds what one seeks. – Friedrich Nietzsche

30. A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. – John Steinbeck

31. I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. –  Jimmy Dean

32. Your journey will be much lighter and easier if you don’t carry your past with you! – Tamara Kulish

33. May the stars guide you on your journey, and your heart always lead you home. – Melaina Rayne

Life is a Journey Quotes to Inspire Solo Travellers

Any seasoned solo traveller knows that travelling alone has the power to change your life . But sometimes it can be difficult to find the words to describe your experiences. 

To empower you to travel alone , here is the pick of the best life journey quotes that can be applied to solo travel.

image of woman walking along path with life journey quote

34. It’s your road, and yours alone, others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you. – Rumi

35. No one can decide the road that inspires us to kick-start a journey better than the one embarking on the path. We may find others joining our journey, but we have to take the first step alone to reach our destination.  – Dr Prem Jagyasi

36. Don’t be scared to walk alone. Don’t be scared to like it. – John Mayer

37. Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone. – Buddha

There are some places in life where you can only go alone. Embrace the beauty of your solo journey. Mandy Hale

39. No one you have been and no place you have gone ever leaves you. The new parts of you simply jump in the car and go along for the rest of the ride. The success of your journey and your destination all depend on who’s driving. – Bruce Springsteen

40. The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready. – Henry David Thoreau

LIFE JOURNEY QUOTE 4

41. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. – Neale Donald Walsh

42. If you make friends with yourself you will never be alone. – Maxwell Maltz

I have traveled many roads in my life. Some were imbued with pain and I needed to avert my gaze. Others were so beautiful that I would have remained there forever. But always, at some point in these routes, I reached a place where I encountered myself. Pablo Holmberg

a single set of footprints in the sand

44. The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before. – Albert Einstein

45. Not everyone will understand your journey. That’s okay. You’re here to live your life, not to make everyone understand.  – Banksy

Are you looking for more quotes to inspire you to travel alone? If so, check out these inspirational solo travel quotes

Making Friends on the Journey of Life

Of course, none of us needs to be alone. Other people can play a huge part in our life journey.

image of two teddy bears with life journey quote

46 . A journey is best measured in friends, not in miles . – Tim Cahill

47. Friends are as companions on a journey, who ought to aid each other to persevere in the road to a happier life. – Pythagoras

48. In this journey of life, you will meet people who will make you feel alive! – Avijeet Das

49. On a hard jungle journey, nothing is so important as having a team you can trust. – Tahir Shah

50. Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. – Izaak Walton

LIFE JOURNEY QUOTE 10

The main thing that you have to remember on this journey is, just be nice to everyone and always smile. Ed Sheeran

52. Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are travelling the dark journey with us. Oh be swift to love, make haste to be kind. – Henri Frederic Amiel

53. We never know the journey another person has walked, so be kind to everyone. – Lynette Mather

group of people eating sitting around table

Having Faith in Yourself: Best Life Journey Quotes

Life throws obstacles at us, and it can be difficult to believe in yourself and in your ability to deal with these challenges. Even with those important first steps, you sometimes have to throw caution to the wind. 

54. Let your mind start a journey thru a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be…Close your eyes let your spirit start to soar, and you’ll live as you’ve never lived before. – Erich Fromm

I believe that life is a journey, often difficult and sometimes incredibly cruel, but we are well equipped for it if only we tap into our talents and gifts and allow them to blossom.  Les Brown

women with arms outstretched in desert

56. Trust yourself, trust the road, trust the weather, and trust your destination! This quarto-trust can create a miraculously successful journey!  – Mehmet Murat Īldan

57. Have faith in your journey. Everything had to happen exactly as it did to get you where you’re going next! – Mandy Hale

58. Things are only impossible until they’re not. – Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek ( the Star Trek universe can teach us much about travel )

LIFE JOURNEY QUOTE 6

Finding Your Path on Life’s Journey

As profound as it may seem, sometimes getting lost is the first step to finding our way on the journey of life, and there is not necessarily one right path. The correct path is the one that is right for you. 

59. In the middle of the journey of our life I found myself astray in a dark wood where the straight road had been lost sight of.  – Dante Alighieri

60. Some beautiful paths can’t be discovered without getting lost. – Erol Ozan

You have to get lost before you can be found. Jeff Rasley

62. Life is a journey that has a lot of different paths, but any path you choose use it as your destiny. – Ryan Leonard 

63. This thing we call life is not a destination with an end but a path down which we continue to journey as long as we can breathe. Life is to be lived not squandered or to give away waiting for the end to close upon us.  – Byron Pulsifer

64. The path isn’t a straight line; it’s a spiral. You continually come back to things you thought you understood and see deeper truths . – Barry H. Gillespie

LIFE JOURNEY QUOTE 7

65. Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lessons Learnt Through the Life Journey

Some of the best life journey quotes relate to the lessons you learn along this journey. Many of these lessons may not be obvious at the time, especially in tough times, but ultimately they help shape who we are.

image of beach at sunset with life journey quote

66. A journey taken in vain is not a wasted journey if you have learnt something. – Anthony T. Hincks

67. All journeys have secret destinations of which traveler is unaware. – Martin Buber

68. Always remember life is a learning journey. Keep filling your mind with all that is worthy. – Catherine Pulsifer

69. One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. – Henry Miller

Learn to trust the journey, even when you do not understand it.  Lolly Daskal 

LIFE JOURNEY QUOTE 9

71. We do not receive wisdom, we must discover it for ourselves, after a journey through the wilderness which no one else can make for us, which no one can spare us, for our wisdom is the point of view from which we come at last to regard the world. – Marcel Proust

72. Travel far enough, you meet yourself. – David Mitchell

73. In order to complete our amazing life journey successfully, it is vital that we turn each and every dark tear into a pearl of wisdom, and find the blessing in every curse. – Anthon St. Maarten 

74. What you learn in tough times can be used in many ways to bless your personal life journey.  – Scott Gordon

75. Sometimes in your life you will go on a journey. It will be the longest journey you have ever taken. It is the journey to find yourself. – Katharine Sharp

Enjoy the Journey Quotes

Ultimately, what is it all for unless you enjoy the journey?

As travellers, we are often guilty of fixating on the destination, instead of learning to enjoy the journey, and celebrating the triumphs instead of stressing about the difficulties.

life journey quotes 7

76. Roads were made for journeys not destinations. – Confucius

77. Life Is What Happens When You’re Busy Making Other Plans . – John Lennon

78. The journey is the reward. – Tao Expression

79. In the tapestry of life, every thread matters. Weave a journey worth treasuring. – The Flashpacker (Bridget Coleman)

80. Life is a journey, and if you fall in love with the journey, you will be in love forever. – Peter Hagerty

81. It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.  – Ernest Hemingway

82. Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it. – Greg Anderson

83. Sometimes it’s the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination . – Drake

84. Accomplishments will prove to be a journey, not a destination. – Dwight D. Eisenhower

85. And at the end of the day, there is nothing but the journey. Because destination is pure illusion. – Rich Roll

LIFE JOURNEY QUOTE 12

86. Life is a journey, not a destination. Learn to enjoy the ride. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

If ever there was a metaphor to illustrate the importance of the journey over the destination, it is life itself. For everyone who departs from birth is destined for death, so the journey IS life. Savor it! Michele Jennae

88. The journey in between what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the dance of life takes place. – Barbara De Angelis

89. Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.  – Arthur Ashe

It is not the destination where you end up but the mishaps and memories you create along the way! Penelope Riley

91. Your journey has molded you for your greater good, and it was exactly what it needed to be. Don’t think you’ve lost time. There is no short-cutting to life. It took each and every situation you have encountered to bring you to the now. And now is right on time. – Asha Tyson

92. Embrace your life journey with gratitude, so that how you travel your path is more important than reaching your ultimate destination. – Rosalene Glickman

image of winnie the pooh with life journey quote

93. Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved. Winnie the Pooh

94. Let your joy be in your journey – not in some distant goal. – Tim Cook

95. Live now; make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again. – Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek

96. Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore. – Andre Gide

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride! Hunter S. Thompson

f lucca view and flashpacker

98. Every day is a journey filled with twists and turns. Every day, if you smile, you will feel alive, my son. – Santosh Kalwar

99. Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey.  – Fitzhugh Mullan

100. I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be . – Douglas Adams

101. We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. – T.S. Eliot

102. Life is an opportunity, seize the day, live each day to the fullest. Life is not a project, but a journey to be enjoyed. – Catherine Pulsifer

103. I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be. – Douglas Adams

104. Time is a companion who goes with us on the journey and reminds us to cherish every moment, because it will never come again. – Captain Jean Luc Picard in Star Trek

Life Journey Quotes: Final Thoughts

Life for me, like travel, is all about the journey. The shape of that journey is up to the individual.

I hope that these life journey quotes help inspire you to live your best life. That’s all that any of us can aim for.  

Enjoy the journey.

Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind. Anthony Bourdain

sign saying life is a journey enjoy the ride

About Bridget

Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.

Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.

To get in touch, email her at [email protected] or follow her on social media.

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Enjoy The Journey Quotes

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enjoy the journey as much as the destination meaning

Take pride in how far you've come. Have faith in how far you can go. But don't forget to enjoy the journey.

Dream big, stay positive, work hard, and enjoy the journey.

Enjoy the journey as much as the destination.

When you are a young person, you are like a young creek, and you meet many rocks, many obstacles and difficulties on your way. You hurry to get past these obstacles and get to the ocean. But as the creek moves down through the fields, it becomes larges and calmer and it can enjoy the reflection of the sky. It's wonderful. You will arrive at the sea anyway so enjoy the journey. Enjoy the sunshine, the sunset, the moon, the birds, the trees, and the many beauties along the way. Taste every moment of your daily life.

Enjoy the journey, because the destination is a mirage.

Don't be so busy making a living that you forget how to live. Work hard to be successful, but enjoy the journey.

I don't have to be perfect. All I have to do is show up and enjoy the messy, imperfect and beautiful journey of my life.

enjoy the journey as much as the destination meaning

Keep your eye on the prize but enjoy the journey.

I made up my mind not to care so much about the destination, and simply enjoy the journey.

Enjoy the journey of life and not just the endgame.

Slow down and enjoy the journey right now. Take time for the people in your life. They won't always be there.

You can achieve all the things you want to do, but it's much better to do it with loved ones around you; family and friends, people that you care about that can help you on the way and can celebrate you, and you can enjoy the journey.

Attaining lasting happiness requires that we enjoy the journey on our way toward a destination we deem valuable. Happiness is not about making it to the peak of the mountain nor is it about climbing aimlessly around the mountain; happiness is the experience of climbing toward the peak.

Dream big . . . don't let anybody or anything break your wishbone. Stay strong, full of faith, and courageous... keep that backbone straight. And along the way, don't forget to laugh and enjoy the journey.

That’s why it is important to enjoy the journey not just the destination. In this world, we will never arrive at a place where everything is perfect and we have no more challenges. As admirable as setting goals and reaching them maybe, you can’t get so focused on accomplishing your goals that you make the mistake of not enjoying where you are right now.

A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.

The trick, my brethren and sisters is to enjoy the journey, traveling hand in hand, in sunshine and storm, as companions who love one another.

Enjoy the journey of life and not just the endgame. I'm also a great believer in treating others as you would like to be treated.

Send the light of your own loving ahead of you. When you get there, the loving will have prepared a place for you. Be kind, gentle, and enjoy the journey.

Never be afraid to learn. Have a good amount of resilience and enjoy the journey.

We are at our very best, and we are happiest, when we are fully engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the goal we've established for ourselves. It gives meaning to our time off and comfort to our sleep. It makes everything else in life so wonderful, so worthwhile.

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Success accelerator, the treasures within, success coaching for female entrepreneurs, how to learn to enjoy the journey, not just the destination.

enjoy the journey as much as the destination meaning

I’ll be happy when I get my first paying client.

I’ll be happy when I reach my first $10K month.

I’ll be happy when I reach 6-figures.

As you achieve each goal and realise it didn’t bring you the happiness you thought, the goalpost moves further and further away. When will you finally be happy?

Truth is, we have it backwards. Building a 6-figures business is a journey that takes months, if not years. The moment you reach 6-figures in your biz, when that last cent finally drops into your bank account, is just that – a fleeting moment.

If you don’t enjoy every second of your journey, you’ll spend the rest of your life hustling and grinding, never feeling the happiness and satisfaction you crave. 😔

I don’t want that for you. I want you to enjoy the amazing journey building your 6-figures business is as much as you enjoy the fleeting moment when you finally achieve your big goal.

Here’s how I learned over the years to enjoy the journey, not just the destination:

plane flying above the clouds

The Problem With Focusing On The Outcome Rather Than The Journey

When you’re working towards a goal, it’s totally normal to think of the destination and what will happen once you get there. 

But when that’s all you focus on, bad things start to happen:

  • You can be happy only when you reach your goal: Building your dream business is a process that requires lots of daily mundane activities. If you don’t enjoy them, you’ll spend 99% of your time feeling miserable, resentful, and wondering if it’s all worth it. And what if, once your reach your goal, it doesn’t bring you the happiness you thought it would? 
  • You can’t control the outcome: You can give it your best shot, but there’s no guarantee things will turn out exactly like you planned. They almost surely won’t. Focusing on the things you can’t control only stresses you out and makes the journey less pleasant.
  • You’ll make wrong choices: Focusing on the outcome may lead you to make the wrong decisions just to get there faster. Think of all the influencers who are buying followers so they can be paid the big bucks to work with brands. Or the girls who take dangerous diet pills to shed the pounds faster. Shortcuts aren’t worth it. They’ll only set you back in the long run.

Related: How To Deal With The Uncertainty About The Future

how to focus on the journey, not the destination 02

How To Enjoy The Journey, Not Just The Outcome

1. focus on what you have.

It’s human nature to focus on what you don’t have. 

When I was building my freelance writing business, I’d compare myself with the successful writers I admired. They had written articles for prestigious publications, had beautiful websites to showcase their expertise, and a rolodex full of editors’ contact details…

Meanwhile, I barely had a one page portfolio online and was struggling to get noticed by any editor…

You know what they say, comparison is the thief of joy. It’s also one of the fastest ways to sabotage yourself.

What you focus on, grows. If you focus on all the things you don’t have, that’s all you see. Before you know it, you convince yourself you don’t have what it takes. Better throw in the towel, now.

The opposite is true. If you focus on all the things you have, your confidence will grow. I may not have had a fancy website, but I had writing skills, the creativity to come up with good article pitches, and the determination to keep going. When I focused on these things, I knew it’d be only a matter of time before I got my big break.

You can focus on what you think you lack and become a victim to your surroundings. Or you can focus on everything that you have and start taking charge of your future.

The choice is yours.

TAKE ACTION NOW:

Next time you feel like you can’t do something or don’t have what it takes to make your dreams come true, jot down all the things you currently have and can do. Hang the list where you’ll see it every day. It’ll help you reframe your thoughts, so you can focus on what matters.

Related: Why You Need To Stop Focusing On What You DON’T Want (And What To Do Instead)

how to focus on the journey, not the destination 03

2. Be Grateful For Where You Are

It’s not enough to focus on all the things you have. You need to be grateful for them too. Why would the universe send you more if you don’t appreciate what it has given you so far?

Being grateful for what you have isn’t settling. You can still desire more and go for it (I certainly do!), but you’ll enjoy the journey a lot more if you work towards your goals from a place of abundance instead of scarcity.

The power of gratitude is helping you see how abundant you are, so you can attract more of it in your life.

Instead of being miserable that your business isn’t growing fast enough, be grateful that you have the chance to have your own business. You’re living your dream and doing what you want to do – even if you’re having a bad day or a bad week.

If you say you have nothing to be grateful for, then you haven’t searched deep enough. You can be grateful you’re healthy and strong. Have a place to live. Air in your lungs that’s keeping you alive. Your writing skills. Your infectious laughter.

Don’t take anything for granted. Everything is a gift.

TAKE ACTION NOW

Every morning when you wake up, write down 3 things you feel grateful for today. It can be something small as a warm cup of coffee to wake you up in the morning or a sunny day in winter. Jot it all down.

black gate

3. How Do You Want To Feel?

You think that once you achieve a certain goal or have a certain amount of money in the bank, you’ll be happy.

But it’s not the goal you’re chasing. It’s the way it’ll make you feel. 

You don’t want a lot of money so you can bathe in a sea of coins like Scrooge McDuck. You want money because of the feeling of freedom you believe money will bring you. So start with the feeling. Figure out what activities will make you happy and bring you those joyful feelings. Then, do more of those.

I feel most happy and alive when I write. But the second I hop on social media, I fall into the comparison trap and start to feel inadequate. So I hired a VA to handle Instagram while I spend most of my time writing articles for this blog.

You’ll enjoy the journey more if you spend your time doing the things that make you feel like you want to feel.

Grab pen and paper and answer these questions:

  • How do you want to feel in your life every day? (Write 1-3 feelings)
  • What can you do to create those feelings now?
  • Schedule those activities in your calendar and start doing them.

4. Detach From The Outcome

I know, easier said than done. If you’re putting in all that effort to scale your business, write that book, start your podcast, you want to know you’ll succeed. 

Problem is, there are no guarantees in life. You can write the best book in the world and only a handful of people will read it. How do you know if all the effort is worth it? Ask yourself this, would you write that book, start that business, pursue that dream even if you failed?

Paulo Coehlo, author of The Alchemist, sold so few copies when the book first came out, his publisher dumped him. But he knew writing was his gift to the world, his calling. And so, he kept going. He found another publisher who believed in the book and, eventually, through word of mouth, The Alchemist, sold more than 70 million copies.

Coehlo could have never engineered the amazing success the book had. He could have never predicted that Madonna would pick up the book and tell Oprah about it. He just kept showing up and doing the work and, eventually, things worked out much better than he could ever have imagined.

Things won’t always go as planned. You won’t always get the outcome you want. Doesn’t mean you failed. It means there’s something better in store for you. Just keep going.

Think of a goal or dream you’d like to achieve right now:

  • Why are you doing it? Is it something you’d do even if you failed or are you doing it because you want an external reward?
  • If the former, what outcome do you want for it? Make a plan to make it happen, give it all you got, and release all expectations. Whether you reach that goal or not, enjoy the journey and trust it’ll all work out like it’s meant to.
  • If the latter, consider dropping the dream. Doing things for external approval has never made anyone happy – or anyone’s life better.

Related: Should You Follow Your Dreams Or Be Realistic?

how to focus on the journey, not the destination  06

5. Celebrate Every Part Of The Process

When you have a big goal, it’s easy to think you haven’t succeeded until you’ve reached it. But this completely ignores all the progress and small milestones you’ve achieved along the day.

Let’s say you’re writing a book. Instead of waiting for publication day to celebrate your achievement, break the task down into smaller steps – and celebrate each one of them. Celebrate when you’ve finished each chapter. When you get your cover. When you upload your manuscript on Amazon.

Here’s why: When you celebrate the launch of your book with a dinner and then go back to normal life, your brain will think, “Wait a minute, we did all this work and only got one lousy dinner?! Guess it wasn’t that important then…” and downplay the accomplishment.

Celebrating each milestone and small step helps you realise how much you’ve done already , all the skills you’ve already accumulated, all the progress you’ve made.

That’ll help you build confidence in yourself, give you the motivation to keep going, and enjoy the journey – every part of it.

Create a Done List. Break down your dream into smaller tasks and whenever you achieve one, add it to the list. Hang it somewhere you can see it often. When you’ll feel like giving up, it’ll give you the strength to push forward.

Related: What To Do When You Feel Discouraged While Chasing Your Dreams

how to focus on the journey, not the destination 05

Wrapping It Up

All you have is the present moment. Enjoy the journey while you’re at it. Whatever the outcome, it’ll be a fun adventure. And who knows? It may be bring you to a better destination than you could ever have imagined.

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IMAGES

  1. Marshall Sylver Quote: “Enjoy the journey as much as the destination.”

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  2. Marshall Sylver Quote: “Enjoy the journey as much as the destination.”

    enjoy the journey as much as the destination meaning

  3. Marshall Sylver Quote: “Enjoy the journey as much as the destination.”

    enjoy the journey as much as the destination meaning

  4. Top 40 Destination Quotes

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  5. Enjoy the journey as much as the destination.... Quote by Marshall

    enjoy the journey as much as the destination meaning

  6. Marshall Sylver Quote: “Enjoy the journey as much as the destination.”

    enjoy the journey as much as the destination meaning

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  1. Is it about the journey or the destination? #travel #shorts

COMMENTS

  1. The journey is more important than the destination (quotes)

    Enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Marshall Sylver; Enjoy the journey, because the destination is a mirage. ... Rather than the destination it is the journey that lends meaning to our lives, great Neelkanth. Being faithful to our path will lead to consequences, both good as well as bad. ...

  2. Happiness is Not a Destination: How to Enjoy the Journey

    Surveys have shown again and again that once people reach a certain wage—around the average wage in western countries—happiness levels do not increase much. With relationships, it's also important to find the right path for ourselves, and to be as sure as we can that we have chosen the right partner. And when we've hopefully found them ...

  3. Journey vs Destination: How to Stay Present

    We can choose to see hard situations as necessary grooves in the concrete that pave the road to our desired destinations. Alternatively, we can choose to truly enjoy the good days when they are upon us. 3. Pack Light. A long journey requires endurance.

  4. Why Happiness Is A Journey And Not A Destination

    Your happiness depends on a lot of things, like genetics and life experiences - but as much as 40% is in your control. The way you conceive of happiness can have a big impact on just how happy you are. If you go chasing after it, you may find it slips through your fingers. The expression "Happiness is a journey" is all about thinking ...

  5. 51 Meaningful Quotes About How Life is a Journey

    Meaningful Life is a Journey Quotes. "If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl. But by all means, keep moving.". - Martin Luther King, Jr. "Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.". - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

  6. Journey vs Destination: Which One Is The Correct One?

    Focus on the destination, but enjoy the journey. The destination is the reward for the journey. It's important to have a clear destination in mind. ... Similarly, someone might say "happiness is a destination" to mean that happiness is a specific goal that can be achieved through effort and perseverance. 2. Alternative Meanings

  7. It's the Journey, Not the Destination—or Is It?

    Current culture in the United States emphasizes a focus on the present. "It's the journey, not the destination". It's not where you've been or where you're going. What is important is ...

  8. Journey vs. destination: Motivation experts break down which one to

    Journey versus destination. The destination is "like a dot on the map," says Huang, "It's the desired end-state of all our striving." If you're trying to lose 20 pounds, then 20 pounds lighter is ...

  9. Why It Is Important To Enjoy The Journey & The Destination

    3 Powerful Reasons Why We Must Learn To Love And Enjoy The Journey Of Our Life. "Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.". - Arthur Ashe -. We are all on a journey towards a destination. That destination could be to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee or to climb the summit of Mount ...

  10. Why happiness is a journey, not a destination (and 5 ways to enjoy the

    2. Practise gratitude. Cultivating gratitude is scientifically-proven to increase your happiness journey, and is one of the simplest life changes you can make as it requires little effort. "As the only consistent thing in life is change, believing that happiness is a destination rather than the journey really makes little sense.".

  11. Which Is More Important, the Journey or the Destination?

    Contrast that to doing those same dishes, while focusing on how this small act is one you do to take care of your family, which is a high level priority to you. In all of these, the same actions happen - travel, writing, washing - and yet the experiences are dramatically different. It's the Ing v. the Ed. The journey versus the destination.

  12. Why Life Really is a Journey and Not a Destination

    "To finish the moment, to find the journey's end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson. Finding Peak is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. I've always hated the "Life is a journey" meme.

  13. How to Enjoy the Journey; Happiness is not a Destination

    Maybe the destination we get to is a much better one than we imagined for ourselves. It would only be right to end this article with a quote by Greg Anderson, "focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.".

  14. Why you need to enjoy the journey, not the destination

    So why not enjoy the journey along the way. Don't mistake enjoy the journey with take it easy and party all the time either by the way! It can mean: take stock of where you are in life. figure out what is right for you. if you want more, then chase it down. prepare yourself for hard work and failures.

  15. Journey vs Destination

    Life Lessons From This Journey vs. Destination Story. The point of this story is to get you to understand the REAL reason the journey is more important than the destination, and the point of setting goals. The point of setting goals is NOT (necessarily) to reach the goal. This is what most other websites and "gurus" miss.

  16. 100+ Life Journey Quotes To Inspire You

    One of the greatest journeys in life is overcoming insecurity and learning to truly not give a shit. J. A. Konrath. 9. Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant. - Robert Louis Stevenson. 10. Sometimes life takes you on a journey that changes everything you thought you wanted.

  17. This Is Why The Journey Towards Your Goals Matters More Than the

    The journey to achieve a goal is governed by: the person you become along the way, the skills acquired, the connections made and the inner growth which takes place. Goal setting is a term burned ...

  18. Inspiring Quotes On The Journey

    Quotes On The Journey. "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.". Lao Tzu. "We should not judge people by their peak of excellence; but by the distance they have travelled from the point where they started.". Henry Ward Beecher. "Success is a journey, not a destination.

  19. Life is a journey

    Life is not a project, but a journey to be enjoyed.". - Catherine Pulsifer. "The journey between what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the dance of life really takes place ...

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    24 of the best book quotes about enjoying the journey. 01. Share. "What I know now is that nothing is universally boring - what's boring to you could be totally engaging to someone else. If you're bored and hating it, it's a big sign that you're most likely just in the wrong place.

  21. TOP 22 ENJOY THE JOURNEY QUOTES

    John Lasseter. Journey, People, Family And Friends. 35 Copy quote. Attaining lasting happiness requires that we enjoy the journey on our way toward a destination we deem valuable. Happiness is not about making it to the peak of the mountain nor is it about climbing aimlessly around the mountain; happiness is the experience of climbing toward ...

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    When we stop focusing so much on the future or the outcome, and pay more attention to the present and the overall journey, that first single step seems more manageable. As artist Henry Moore ...

  23. How To Learn To Enjoy The Journey, Not Just The Destination

    Make a plan to make it happen, give it all you got, and release all expectations. Whether you reach that goal or not, enjoy the journey and trust it'll all work out like it's meant to. If the latter, consider dropping the dream. Doing things for external approval has never made anyone happy - or anyone's life better.

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