I watched an amazing moving last night called “The Peaceful Warrior.” It is about a young talented gymnast whose life is revolved around the next best thing. He believes when he attains a certain level of success, then he will be happy. He struggles with the fact that he seemingly has everything in the world going for him, yet he has no level of internal fulfillment. He is in athlete on pace to make it to the Olympics, a brilliant student, a favorite among the girls, and has a bright future ahead of him, yet for some reason he cannot sleep at night. It is not until he meets a gas station attendant who he so affectionately refers to as Socrates, that his life begins to change. There was one pivotal point in the movie when Socrates tells the main character, Dan, he wants to show him something very special. The next day they leave for a long arduous hike in the mountains. Finally, Dan, exhausted yet incredibly excited with anticipation for what the hike has in store for him at the end, asked Socrates when they were going to get “there.” Socrates said, “We are here.” He pointed to a rock and told Dan that the rock was what he wanted to show him. Dan now visibly agitated said, ”You brought me on a three hour hike in the mountains to show me an ordinary rock?!” Socrates asked, “You were so excited the whole way up here and now all of a sudden you are angry and frustrated.” Dan stated, “Because you brought me here to show me a rock!” Socrates responded, “I had no idea what we would find up here and I never really do know what I will find on my journey.” It was at that point Dan had an epiphany. He realized life is not about the destination. Life is about the journey. What brought him excitement and fulfillment on the hike was the process, not the end result. There are no ordinary moments. Every moment of every day is a gift. A life focused on outcomes and results is a life wrought with pain and suffering.
Life is all about the experiences we have and the growth that occurs with them. Robin Sharma says, “Our days are our life in miniature, and as we craft our days so we craft our life.” Every single day brings new experiences and new victories to celebrate. One of the most important things we can do for our lives is show gratitude and celebrate our victories. We have a tendency to compare ourselves to other people. When we accomplish something, we have a tendency to point out what we did wrong rather than what we did right. The only person you should be comparing yourself to is yourself. Are you a little better, a little stronger, and a little more confident than you were yesterday? Have you discovered a little more about yourself after the experience than you did before it? If so, celebrate the victory.
Gratitude is the currency of happiness and fulfillment. Many of us are great at showing gratitude to others but rarely do we express gratitude for ourselves. We are the designers of our life. Everything we have accomplished and become is a reflection of who we are as individuals. We must show gratitude for the amazing things in our life as well as for the trials and tribulations. We must show gratitude for all that we experience, enjoy the journey, and know there are no ordinary moments. For this is the path for you to live the life of your dreams.
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