Summary

The website content discusses the importance of appreciating life's journey, emphasizing that achievements are not final destinations but starting points for new adventures, and advocating for enjoying the process rather than fixating on the end results.

Abstract

The author reflects on receiving their MBA certificate, noting the mixed emotions of accomplishment and the transient nature of goals. Despite the significance of the MBA as a milestone, it is the experiences, friendships, and personal growth that truly define the educational journey. Drawing parallels with athletes like Michael Phelps, the author points out the post-achievement depression that can follow significant success, underscoring that life's graph resembles an electrocardiogram with its continuous highs and lows. The message is clear: life is an endless journey, and true fulfillment lies in embracing and finding joy in the daily, mundane tasks as much as in the celebrated achievements.

Opinions

Achievements are important milestones, but they should not be the sole focus of one's endeavors; rather, the journey and experiences leading to these achievements are equally valuable.
Post-achievement depression is a real phenomenon, as seen in the case of Michael Phelps, where the anticlimax after a major success can lead to a sense of emptiness.
Life's continuous cycle of highs and lows is akin to the waves of an electrocardiogram, symbolizing the ongoing nature of life's challenges and triumphs.
It is crucial to find joy in the process of striving towards goals, as this attitude fosters resilience and a healthier approach to life's inevitable ups and downs.
The concept of "What Next?" is an inherent part of the human experience, driving us to continue pursuing new objectives even after reaching significant milestones.

Enjoy the Journey

Life is a journey of no arrivals. Any destination once arrived at becomes the starting point for the next Journey.

I got my MBA certificate last week in the mail and it was a bittersweet experience. Graduating during a pandemic is not ideal but added to that was the feeling that all I had to show for 18 months of studying was a piece of paper. As I walked into my room, my eyes set on a picture from the school year and it reminded me that this piece of paper did not truly summarize my journey.

I had made friends along the way, showed up to class every day, worked on some exciting projects, represented my school in competitions and also as an ambassador. My experience as a student was not merely defined by the grades on the piece of paper i was holding. I bought a camera during the school year and I had thousands of pictures from the program to remind me of this fact.

Getting my MBA Degree was a destination for me 18 months ago but now it is a reality. Now the next thing for me to do is get a full time job and start working my way up the corporate ladder. My destination has become a resting/Starting point for the next journey ahead of me.

The truth is that Achievements are necessary stops along the way to smell the roses and celebrate. But we never really stay at the place of achievement. No achievement is the end to achievements.We have to keep going sooner or later. This never ending journey is why we have to learn to enjoy the process. We have to fall in love with the daily monotonous activities that lead up to the shiny moments we all crave.

Micheal Phelps who holds the record for the highest number of Olympic medals has a well documented history with depression. He struggled with returning back to normal life and fell into what is now known as Post-Olympic depression. You can watch the full video here — shorturl.at/gAP

Athletes work so hard , they put everything into preparing for the Olympics and when they achieve a podium finish, they realize the euphoria from winning quickly disappears in a matter of seconds, literally.

The new chapter begins as quickly as the old one ended and we have to start writing again.

Sooner or later we have to face the the famous question – What Next?

The picture above is a display screen from an Electrocardiogram test. This is a simple, painless test that measures your heart’s electrical activity. This graph as long as it swings up and down shows that there is life and the heart is beating. When it straightens out,there is a problem and it is a strong indicator that life has ceased to exist. We can translate this into everyday life and use this to explain the human experience. If we draw out our lives as a graph, it would probably look like the results from an electrocardiogram test. A Continuous dance of highs and lows.

After a company signs up its first customer…they start looking for the next 100

Make your 1st million and you’re thinking of the next billion

Graduate from University and it is time to start looking for a Job

Get married …Start thinking about having kids.

Nothing is ever truly enough.

So, what is the solution to this. I think ideally the solution should be to enjoy the process as we journey to the destination.

To see life as an endless journey of ups and downs, to enjoy the process, to smell the roses along the way, to live for the moments where all the cameras flash and we are infinite but to also enjoy the moments that lead up to that.

To take up the challenges that life throw at us every now and then with a smile, to wake up everyday knowing there will be problems and yet remain ever dedicated to solving them

A wise man once said “If we cannot change the course, at least we can enjoy the ride”.