Notes Along the Journey 03: Direction vs. Destination

Remember, these are mainly for myself. Diary entries of a sort… It might or might not have any value for you, the reader 🙂 Just saying.

“I’ve never cared much for destinations… Give me a direction…” ~ Matthew McConaughey, “Greenlights”

That was the portion of his book that I happened upon this morning. Just a small excerpt from a poem he placed down on the bottom of page 163. I reflected on his reasoning for a few minutes, carefully weighing the trade-offs between a life that prioritized and pursued direction over destination. To be honest, it isn’t the first time I have pondered that approach. And to be fair, Mr. McConaughey’s philosophy made perfect sense. As he explained in his own words, he wanted “direction and a sixteen-lane highway with room to swerve and explore along the way.” I get that sentiment. Completely. Life is an adventure. And we should learn to enjoy it along the way.

As I thought this over, I found myself writing the following in the margin: “DIRECTION vs DESTINATION… Good question. To be fair, life is really a combination of both. At times we need a clearly defined goal (destination). During other seasons, the value is discovered in the journey (direction). BOTH – AND. Not exclusively EITHER – OR.”

As 2024 winds down and I begin to set my sights on the upcoming new year, I am reminded that there is a need in my life to embrace both destination and direction. I need clear, concise goals to help me stay focused amidst the day-to-day. Not resolutions, but real goals that demand focus, attention, and effort. I need a target to refine my aim. I need a finish line to measure my determination. And I need benchmarks to properly gauge my efforts. In that sense, destination keeps me focused and moving forward, especially during those difficult days when everything around me and within me is seemingly falling apart.

But I also need to remember that direction is equally crucial. There is much to learn along the way, and I need to remain both open and flexible to sidebars that could lead to new discoveries and unexpected personal growth. Not aimlessly wandering, but a general sense of direction to serve as guidelines when the goal seems unreachable and even impossible. Direction is what makes persistence possible. It keeps me placing one foot in front of the other when the destination lies distant and forever out of reach.

In conclusion… on Christmas morning I wrote a short post that I shared to my Facebook page:

I think that pretty much hits the nail on the head for me. Stop allowing the destination to rob me of the incredible worth of direction. Be present and embrace what my God has set before my eyes. That is my direction for 2025. Not a destination in terms of an accomplishment. But a pathway that leads me to my goal of making the most of every opportunity and maximizing my remaining time this side of eternity.

Bottom line? It’s like the photo below. The mountains and that crystal blue lake are the destination. The path is the direction that eventually leads me there. The challenge is to make sure I am enjoying the scenery and the moments along the journey. Amen.