Read a recent post by Will Wheaton (It’s in a Book) where he followed a trail of thought from on being a reader to be a better writer to the point where he discuses how he sets his mind for self-improvement.
The nut of it is that he changes his perception of self-improvement from goal oriented work to a journey to a destination. He calls this approach “Seasons” and admits hearing to term from someone else. In this method, instead of setting goals with declared measurable goals, Wil sets out on journeys to destinations. He drops the baggage of goals (something that can be missed) and instead takes an introspective view. “Does this thing I’m doing now get me closer to my destination?”
Calling these journeys “seasons” adds an element of time that is more sensed than recorded. Sure, our natural seasons are marked on the calendar by solstices and equinoxes, but we sense their changes more keenly before those dates roll round. The air gets crisper as the cold sets in just before winter. Leaf color shifts from green to orange as Autumn comes on. Green pushes through melting snow at the onset of spring. The air thickens and warms when Summer rests like a blanket on the days. As such, when we set about making a change, the results are felt more than declared “done!” when a some number is reached.
And feelings creep up on us. The destination is a mirage on the horizon. It always feels farther going to a new place than it does returning to a place we know. The journey is seasonal and we can pass through the destination we set before we even realize. In the end our season is still ongoing as long as we are on the journey.
I know this sounds a bit woo, sunshine, rainbows and lollipops, but hey, those are fun things that we can spend time with, enjoy the process as it unfolds in us. We don’t set about to change with the season, but we do change none-the-less.
I guess where I’m going with this is that I want to start my season of journaling. And I want to share that with anyone who cares to stop by the site. I have not stated goal other than to post more. In an effort to share more (just shy of the point of oversharing), I will post here more.
What will you find? A bouillabaisse of thoughts, stories, pictures, and more. Let’s see where these season takes me.
