Hey {{ first name | there }}! Welcome back to The Flow by Flocus. If you’re new around here, welcome! 👋  You can catch up on our previous editions right here.

This week: We’re tackling one of the biggest challenges when working toward your goals — actually enjoying the journey. Let’s explore how you can do both without losing steam!

“Focus on enjoying the journey, not reaching the destination.”

You’ve almost certainly heard this productivity cliche at some point.

And sure, there’s a lot of wisdom in it. But no one actually tells you how to do it.

Obviously, the destination you’re trying to reach is important to you for a reason. And the goal itself can be a big motivator.

The sinister flip side of this thought process? Denying yourself happiness, fulfillment, and other good things until after you’ve reached the goal.

How many times have you said things like, “I’ll be happy after I graduate” or, “Once I finally quit this job, my life will be complete”?

Here’s how this negative line of thinking sabotages your efforts:

So how can you shift your perspective from the destination to the journey? We’ve got you covered with 5 steps you can take!

Buckle up — we’re showing you how to stop focusing so much on the destination so you can stop, smell the roses, and make some memories along the way.

James Clear talks about this a lot in his uber-popular book, Atomic Habits. He says the goal itself is simply a compass or roadmap pointing you in the direction you want to go.

What you need is an itinerary — a plan that’s backed by solid systems, resources, and prep work that will help you reach your destination faster.

Think of it like a long-distance road trip. Simply having your map won’t help you if your car breaks down. But if you pack a spare tire and contact info for emergency roadside assistance, you’ll be able to get back on the road much quicker, and with less stress.

That’s what it means to be focused on the process. If you’re focused on the outcome, you might sit in the driver’s seat for an hour, fuming or sulking, before even trying to fix it. And while it’s important to feel your feelings, bouncing back quickly from setbacks is a skill worth mastering.

If you’re always looking ahead, it can be hard to realize just how far you’ve already gone.

You might be 95% of the way to your goal, but if you’re only looking at that last 5%, it’s easy to forget that you’ve already done most of the work.

Create some kind of progress tracker so you can see not just what you have left to do, but also what you’ve done so far. This will help you see what’s going right, which is great for boosting your confidence.

Just like you couldn’t complete a big road trip without stopping for gas and a good night’s sleep, you can’t reach your goal without regular pit stops.

Here’s how you can take them (without all the guilt):

Most people only recognize 2 points on their goal journey: on the way, and arrived.

Really, there are 6 zones to pass through on the way to achieving a goal or mastering a skill — and the stress zone is one of them.

Know this is a natural phase, but it’s one you can defeat with a sprinkle of curiosity and some clever tactics.

Anytime you catch yourself hyperfocusing on a far-away outcome, ask yourself:

We know this is a cliche, but hear us out! Pausing for a moment to give thanks for where you are right now is one of the best ways to actually enjoy the ride.

Here are a couple affirmations you can try if you’re feeling uninspired:

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That’s it for now! We hope with these steps, you can find joy along the way while staying locked in on what matters.

What part of your journey are you learning to enjoy right now? Hit reply!

Until next Sunday,

Flocus Team