Quote of the month: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”

Text and photo: Stefan Nilsson

The Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said; “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”. He wasn’t wrong, because you won’t get anywhere unless you start the journey.

One can journey alone or with others. When it comes to journeys of any kind, we keep following the wise words of our main man The Buddha: “Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone”. Don’t waste a good journey on less than stellar travel companions.

New year resolutions are, by and large, rubbish. People make promises to themselves that they can’t keep. They have a go for a few days, a week or perhaps even a month. But at some point, most give up. These resolutions are a waste of effort. Therefore, embarking on an important journey should not be done as part of a new year resolution. Journeys are real and involve movement between a starting point and a goal, which could be distant or near.

Ditch the new year resolution and plan for a real journey instead. Remember that a plan which is not implemented is as much of a waste as an average new year resolution. Don’t wait for things to happen. You have to take the initiative and start. By definition, the first step precedes all the other steps on the journey. Thus, don’t make promises around a first step, start walking instead of talking.

You may be running fast, but making haste is useless unless you are going in the right direction. As my wife often says to me: Walking slowly is OK, as long as you keep going. Pace yourself to not burn out. It doesn’t matter if you move slowly as long as you don’t stop, you don’t give up.

Remember that you have a backbone (most of us do, although some people behave as if they are missing this vital piece of the human body). Stand up straight even when Ill winds are blowing. You will face headwinds and obstacles but you must push on. Don’t lose sight of the finishing line. Staying focused on the goal will help you stay the course and not get sidetracked by the odd battle and other challenges along the way.

Enjoy the journey. It’s not the length of the journey, it’s the quality of the steps.