The Drive

Early this morning, I drove my friend to the airport.

Driving in my city is an exciting, risky and nerve-wracking experience at the best of times. On the road to the airport, there’s an element of dare-devilry added to the mix.

Formula 1 wannabees rev up their aging motorcars, or souped up sedans, and weave crazily across the one good highway that permits driving at speeds over 70 kmph without feeling like you’re riding in a bullock cart – with square wheels!

These speed demons, horns blaring, kept looking for and squeezing through the tiniest opening, switching lanes with abandon and going wherever the resistance seems least – blithely unaware (or ignoring) trivial ‘inconveniences’ like traffic signals, or other drivers on the road.

Strange enough, these were the same guys I noticed BEHIND me at various stages all along the route to the airport – and I got there sooner, just by sticking to one lane and not worrying too much about ‘racing’ the next guy!

As I matched wits with wacky weirdos behind their wheels, I couldn’t help think about some startling parallels with the way many folks go about their business – and their life.

A guy in a red pick-up truck kept trying his best to overtake me. I allowed him to – and he rushed ahead, only to slow down and fall behind me again when he realized that he would otherwise have to plod along behind a lorry loaded with cement bags!

Some people follow the most exciting business idea of the moment. Rush into what they see as opportunities. Then, back-off when they realize what lies ahead. Because the path seems harder, or slower, or riskier, they shift back to another ‘lane’… and end up getting to their destination later!

Picking one path, and sticking with it tenaciously, is an effective (yet rarely followed) success strategy.

Most of the drivers were obviously stressed. It showed in the way they restlessly waited at traffic jams, and kept crowding other more sedate drivers in a vain attempt to ‘get ahead’.

Too many business owners expect instant success too. They chafe at having to wait, do the grunt work, develop and test marketing techniques – and build a business.

And that, more than most other reasons, causes them to fail at it.

There were many other insights that popped into my mind. About things more important than merely driving fast, finding breaks in the traffic, and to use openings in getting ahead.

Things like where the road leads. And why we’re driving on it.

If my friend was taking the train, it wouldn’t have mattered how fast I drove or how many speed records I broke getting there – we wouldn’t get to the railway station.

Unless we took another route!

Why then do so many of us spend most of our working lives hiding from analyzing if our chosen path is taking us closer to our real goals? Or even thinking over what those goals are? And whether they need to change?

My journey had the purpose of getting my friend to a place. So, it was meaningful. Otherwise, it would have been merely thrilling – for a while. But ultimately, worth little else.

It’s like spending a lifetime in a job, or building a business, just for making more money. Other things matter – more. Like finding your passion.

Or smiling in your business.

Yes, it’s important to get to the airport. But it’s more important to have a friend to drop off there!

On the drive back home, I crossed a new fly-over that had been constructed at huge expense recently. I had been concentrating so hard on being there in time to catch the plane, that I had completely ignored it – despite the excited “WOW” that exploded from my daughter’s lips in the backseat as we crossed it!

Now, driving more leisurely back home, I got a good look at the new addition to the city’s landscape – and see why she had been impressed. It was nice. And I had missed it!

Stop to smell the roses. The journey matters as much as the destination.

And you don’t always get the chance to drive back over the same route again!