Process vs Product
That's Philosophical #15
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With the spread of showing off success in social media, the problem I see coming up today more and more is how we simply don’t understand what we want.
People crave money, a meaningful relationship, mastery in something, a fanbase, more customers, more supporters. But these are not the dreams you want to have in your head.
Because these are byproducts, not goals.
It became a new normal to wish for a consequence of success. When we want money, we forget that it’s the value we give to people that will get us money in return. Those who want the perks of a relationship, forget about all the hard work that is put in growing a healthy bond for years.
Once we see something on the outside, we instantly get the idea that this is what we need. But you can’t get one without the other.
It’s okay to wish for something that is just a result of hard consistent work. But it’s way healthier for us to think about what stands behind that outcome.
The shiny wrap
In an era of sharing, we see so many achievements in front of us. It is glorified and everyone is consuming success content daily.
But on the other side, there are thousands of hours that were put into achieving a milestone, yet hardly anyone sees this work. People want the shiny wrap that it’s presented in.
This attractive appearance doesn’t hold any value. You won’t be fulfilled if you chase these things.
If you want a loving partner, you can’t get it as easy unless you pour in years of commitment. You won’t be able to stick to the end with an outcome on your mind all the time.
Instead, if you focus on growing a meaningful relationship, then you will understand that value isn’t in the moment you become closer to a person, but in all of the time spent together.
The same applies to other examples I mentioned, like having more customers in mind isn’t always the best goal. You are wishing for a symptom, not the cause of success (if more customers = success). Focusing on improving the business itself will likely be the better long-term goal. However, there are times when you just have to focus on growing your customer base, which is okay.
There is also a more material part that is bought with money. But It is just an outcome of work- money, cars, clothes, all of this is shown off to make sure that you understand: that guy is successful. It doesn’t work the other way around- you won’t be fulfilled if you are aiming for an outcome of success.
The value is in the process, not the product.
We are caught up in thinking that it’s the outside that we need. But what is the point in having millions, owning a startup, having a relationship, if you aren’t willing to work towards achieving this? Anything will feel worthless if you didn’t work your ass off to get it. It’s how human psychology works.
When I think “wow I would love to have that”, I try to look at it from a different perspective. Then I understand that it’s pointless to think about it if I don’t want to go through the process.
That’s why systems win. Focus on designing the process you will enjoy. No matter what result you will get, you will still enjoy the journey. And the result is not that valuable anyway.
Focus on the process, not what you get after completing it. Some of us are so caught up with the goals that we forget about why we started in the first place.
I want 10000 readers on my blog. But wait, is this why I started writing? I started to enjoy sharing my knowledge and experience using words, not look at the number of followers I have.
Struggles along the journey add value to your life, this is what makes it real. If you just get an end result, trust me, you won’t be satisfied. Struggles during the journey make the destination worthwhile. Are you playing a game for the sake of completion, or for the joy you get from every small win?
“It’s the lows in life that make you cherish the highs.”- Nathan Feuerstein
Takeaway
Success is fool’s gold. Consistency behind it is what we should strive for.
It’s like wanting an oscar without shooting a movie. What value does this award hold? It’s worthless without the movie. These two things are connected, you can’t wish for the one and ignore the other. The same is happening with every form of “success” we see online.
Often we think that getting a product of something would be great. It is on paper. But actually, when you get it you understand that process is a lot more enjoyable and this is what drives you forward. Seeing the top of an iceberg is always easier
“A lot of people are so used to just seeing the outcome of work. They never see the side of the work you go through to produce the outcome.”
—Michael Jackson”
I wanted to share a newsletter by an amazing writer- Ann Roberts. She is 70 years old (!!!) and last year, she started writing a newsletter called The Sunny Optimist. Ann shares her wisdom that will make you feel good and be present in the moment. You can check it out below.
It’s incredible how we found each other online, she is 4 times older than me, yet we have a common interest that we are both exploring!
If you liked this issue, I am sure you will enjoy this one too! → Why Humans Never Become Happy.
Thank you for reading, have a great weekend!
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Wow! The struggle with the subscribers is so real. Good catch. I often get so anxious about growth that I almost forget why I was writing at all. Thanks for reminding us this.
This reminds me of my favorite JC quote: You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.