Destination People & Journey People: Which Are You?
Our family recently attended a Sunday Service at our local church. The pastor started with a story about his and his wife's road trip. The point of his story was to draw out the differences between 'Journey People’ and 'Destination People.’ This was a fascinating concept and one that I had spent little time thinking about. However, it was very relevant to my life and what we're building here at Abundant Journey.
In hopes of helping you identify which you are, here's a rundown of the two: A Journey Person is someone who enjoys the journey—shocking, I know. They're the "taking time to smell the roses" kind of people. They are someone who wants to stop at all the sightseeing overlooks on a road trip, always takes a million photos at family gatherings, and eats slowly—something I'm terrible at.
A Destination Person is the exact opposite. Their focus is often on the task at hand, eliminating things that get in the way, and they usually have a specific goal in mind. They're not like Journey People, who are thrilled with adventure or the unknown. Destination People love maps and try to shave off as much time as they can in reaching their destination within legal parameters, I'm sure.
With those definitions in mind, I am admittedly more of a Destination Person. There are times, ways, and places where I can be a Journey Person, and I wish I was that way more naturally and often. However, when push comes to shove, I am very focused and driven to reach the destination. That may surprise people who are closest to me, especially because I often try to provide an environment for the Journey of Life to be enjoyed. I love creating situations where memories can be made. Regardless, I get frustrated when things get in my way of the task at hand, and I set out to do what I want, or get to where I need to. That word—need—almost always replaces the word "want" in my vocabulary. I can have a sense of urgency that things must be done now and the destination has to be reached!
Pitfalls of Destination People
We need both Destination People and Journey People alike. Each has their strengths, but each can come with weaknesses. That's why we need each other. There are times in life when things need to get done, deadlines met, and there is urgency in the task at hand. However, living in the state of always needing to keep moving can create a recipe for burnout. It can also bring disappointment when the destination is reached. After all, we've all heard that "life is really about the journey."
Destination People can fall prey to the belief that reaching the destination is the ultimate goal, and when they turn around they realize that the journey could have been way more enjoyable had they stopped to soak up all that the journey had to offer. For instance, my wife and I are no longer in a season with babies and diapers. There were days we longed to get to this point, and here we are. Suppose my entire focus is on "surviving" to get to the next season of life with our children. In that case, we might miss the little moments and opportunities to invest in them at their very young ages. With kids, they're only in that specific season of life for a short while, and then that season is gone forever. I should not fundamentally approach my kids' childhood as a Destination Person. As their dad, they're served best when I approach them as a Journey Person.
Destination People are essential as they drive us forward to new heights and reach things we would never think possible, but if that comes at the cost of enjoying the journey it may be more costly than it's worth.
Pitfalls of Journey People
Similarly, Journey People are just as necessary. They force us to slow down, soak up the moments, and remind us that life is more than clocks, calendars, finish lines, and to-do lists. These people have learned to cherish moments with loved ones and create memories that will last a lifetime. As I've said above, however, there are times when urgency and destinations are essential.
My wife is a gardener by hobby, and when she digs up dahlia flowers from the ground, our barn is filled with bins and bulbs that need to be divided. If she were to exercise being a Journey Person with those, many of the bulbs would die or shrink up. The same goes for when the flowers need to be planted. There's a specific window of time when they need to be put back in the ground for the new season, and if we don't focus on getting them planted, they'll die or not grow to their full potential in the next season. That is one example of a specific time for her to be a Destination Person. She needs to get those things taken care of.
The same is true when I, as a banker, have a business customer who needs a loan. Often those needs have specific deadlines, and if I'm passively deciding to be a Journey Person and not help my customer, then their business needs may not get met and their business will suffer. We all have times when a little urgency is needed and the task must be done.
Is Balance the Key?
Many times sacrifice is needed for the things we want and value most. I mentioned that in my last post. But, with this specific topic, I would make the argument that balance is important. There are moments in life when the destination is critical. If the roof needs to be patched on the house and the northwest rains are coming, then it's time to not procrastinate and fix it. Avoiding the task will result in issues later that I can avoid now if I get the job done. If there's a deadline at work, the phone needs to be put down, and the work needs to get done.
However, in my experience, the never-ending Saturday morning "to-do" list will be there each week. If that becomes the most important thing and family time is ignored, the journey will be missed. If work is always the priority over relationships, the journey is being missed for a destination that will never end. I often talk about how at the end of life, all we're left with are the memories and moments we've created with our families and loved ones. That's really all they have left from us when we're gone. Most of those moments happen along the journey with intentionality and not being so focused on the destination. True, they're both important, but working to be a person who enjoys the journey (especially in a culture that seems to be increasing in speed every day) will be the best path forward.
Action Item:
Determine if you're a Destination Person or a Journey Person.
What are one or two ways you can take a step this week to enjoy the journey? What are one or two things you need to get done that you've been putting off?