Road to Success

Often, we are impatient and want instant gratification. This happens in several areas of our lives. In high school sociology, I remember reading about the McDonaldization of society, which speaks to rationalization.  Rationalizing things, in theory, is not a bad idea, except when you essentially become irrational. I was at a stop light and all of this sort of came to me. The purpose of fast food is to offer quick, inexpensive food. The negative side effects though, make it irrational. Usually find yourself waiting in long lines, and end up with food that isn’t exactly healthy. But one of the main reasons we do it, is time. Even if we have to wait five mins in line, it is still less time than it takes to cook a meal (I mean sure, you can make minute rice, but you know what I mean). Basically, I thought about how shortcuts don’t always yield the best result. So where am I going with this?  

We all want something. We want to be someone. We want to go somewhere. We want. And therefore we usually take steps in the direction of getting the things we want. Most of the time we want to take the quickest route. The shortcut. But unfortunately, that just isn’t how it works. The road to success is a long road. And guess what? You’re going to hit potholes and speedbumps, you’ll be held up by traffic jams and construction work, you might even blow a tire, and you’ll definitely take a few detours. There are so many things in life that align with the principle of only getting out what you are willing to put in. If you want to take the quick route, the easiest path, the shortcut, then be prepared for a success that measures with that level of effort. But if you want to be fully satisfied and earnestly successful, then be willing to go through the loops so you can reap the harvest in the end.

The first mile of concrete highway was made in 1909 (in the US). And while paved roads have done wonders and have made travel effortless, just remember, people traveled the rough terrain for hundreds of years before things were made easy. Don’t be afraid to leave the road, make U-turns and take scenic routes.

"If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesnt lead anywhere"

- Frank A. Clark