Alternative Paths - Ralph Waldo Emerson (Monday's post)

When good is near you, when you have life in yourself, it is not by any known or accustomed way; you shall not discern the foot-prints of any other; you shall not see the face of man; you shall not hear any name; the way, the thought, the good, shall be wholly strange and new. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The world buzzes about goals and visions. Focus. Create a vivid picture of exactly where you want to go. Dream big, then don’t let anything or anyone stop you. The problem, as Daniel Gilbert wrote in Stumbling Upon Happiness, is that we’re horrible at forecasting how we’ll really feel 10 or 20 years from now – once we’ve gotten what we dreamed of. Often, we get there only to say, “That’s not what I thought it would be,” and ask, “What now?” Ambition is good. Blind ambition is not. It blocks out not only distraction, but the many opportunities that might take you off course but that may also lead you in a new direction. Consistent daily action is only a virtue when bundled with a willingness to remain open to the unknown. In this exercise, look at your current quest and ask, “What alternative opportunities, interpretations and paths am I not seeing?” They’re always there, but you’ve got to choose to see them.

My response:
I try hard to always look for alternatives and implications. When I do not want to look at alternatives, I know that I am not being fully truthful. As I work this week, I need to remember to see the options, push for options, and make sure I do not move forward in haste. I am trying hard to live in the moment, and enjoy it for all it has. I often get too caught up in tomorrow and what may be coming my way. My favorite quote is, "The only way to predict the future is to create it." Instead of just forecasting what could be, make it so.