Joy of This Years Journey's
Tiffany is an avid fan of David McCullough. She likes his books as they get to the nitty gritty of the details of a persons life, but do it in such a way that doesn't feel stuffy and reads like a novel. For this reason as well as the concern at the time that she might be more bed-ridden than she is (to which we are grateful), she received a copy of Truman, McCullough's first Pulitzer prize winning book, as well as the illustrated version of 1776, a book that any history buff would enjoy pouring over with all the additional visuals and documents it contains.
I remember thinking what it must be like to have that kind of knowledge to write in such detail that it sounds like you were there with the individual you are writing about. The man is amazing. To be able to know and understand a subject so clearly is pure genius. Then I came upon this quote from the man:
Isn't that the way we all are? Don't we all embark on a project feeling inadequate or as though there are so many other people who are better than us in that thing? And indeed we should. Very few of us could ever be considered the top ranking individual in any given set of skills and abilities. There is always somebody out there that is better than what we are or can do.
But that should not stop us. We should take the first steps to become good at something. Then let that progress and continue to become something great. Part of the key, however, is not simply looking at the end result, but to find joy in the process along the way. To enjoy ones journey. As I continue to consider my goals - with the end in mind, I think I will focus on the getting done, more so than the being done.
A Chinese proverb says that the journey is the reward.
Is yours?
Cheers,
Nathan
I remember thinking what it must be like to have that kind of knowledge to write in such detail that it sounds like you were there with the individual you are writing about. The man is amazing. To be able to know and understand a subject so clearly is pure genius. Then I came upon this quote from the man:
Every book is a new journey. I never felt I was an expert on a subject as I embarked on a project.
~David McCullough
Isn't that the way we all are? Don't we all embark on a project feeling inadequate or as though there are so many other people who are better than us in that thing? And indeed we should. Very few of us could ever be considered the top ranking individual in any given set of skills and abilities. There is always somebody out there that is better than what we are or can do.
But that should not stop us. We should take the first steps to become good at something. Then let that progress and continue to become something great. Part of the key, however, is not simply looking at the end result, but to find joy in the process along the way. To enjoy ones journey. As I continue to consider my goals - with the end in mind, I think I will focus on the getting done, more so than the being done.
A Chinese proverb says that the journey is the reward.
Is yours?
Cheers,
Nathan
Comments
Post a Comment