The Path is the Point

Maybe I'm getting older. What a silly expression. Of course I'm getting older, we all are. 

It seems like the past few years, people in general have become more in a rush than ever. 

Technology was supposed to free us of mundane labor so that we would have more time. And it sure has. Washing machines, online ordering, coffeemakers, and so many other devices and services save us all the time we used to have to spend to do a lot of necessary stuff. 

But what are we doing with these precious hours?

Are we creating? Learning? Repairing or building? 

Or are many people either consciously or subconsciously just wasting the extra time that they've been given? 

It used to be that if there was an article with a headline, if the headline caught a person's eye, they would read the article. Maybe clickbait caused a mistrust in clicking, or reading too many similar things made some people believe that there was no point in even reading the article, but that they should instead post a comment in disagreement with what the headline seems to say. Then argue with whoever is game for it. 

We all have within us what I call "Challenge Energy." Some have more, some have less. But basically we have an innate need for some kind of daily challenges. These can be problems to solve, things to learn, creations to be created, areas to be built or organized or cleaned. These are constructive uses of challenge energy. 

If we don't motivate ourselves or find passion to do any of those constructive things, we can be lured in or distracted to exhaust our challenge energy on petty arguments or other fruitless expenditures. Fruitless meaning at the end of the investment of time, energy, and attention, nothing is gained besides maybe a temporary feeling of winning against someone. Worse yet, things may be damaged or broken. 

Not all fights are fruitless. When advocating on behalf of someone or something that can't, or standing up for yourself or others in a productive way and to the right people and places that are in control or authority to change things. 

But most internet arguments are not that. At all. Most are just bickering and time spent on sites that benefit from people spending more time there because while they are there, more ads can be shown which increases the revenue for the site. So the sites will encourage you to spend your time there, as much as they can get you to do so. 

But your time spent is your life spent. Make sure you're aware of and actually choosing where you are investing your precious moments, minutes, hours, days, and years. When you look back, you'll see what you've built with your time or where it was wasted. You have all the power in the world to choose what you will do right now. 

The path is the point. The learning, growing, building, creating, developing, and utilizing your challenge energy in the best way you can. Every choice is a step on your path, and all of your choices are going to end up somewhere. Make sure it's somewhere you consciously chose to go. 

- Doe Zantamata