Yeah, I know that you are used to knowing it as "The End Justifies the Means," but this time, I put it opposite. For "End Justifies the Means", people say this statement when they do something out of character that is most likely not ethical, but turning it all around means something significant.
This was the topic I used last Monday in the weekly hangout I host on my show on Hive Learners Discord Server titled "Heart 2 Heart Community Hangout". I most often talk about topics that lead to self-development, and sometimes I go out of my niche and discuss something more fun, maybe like a childhood memory or about movies.
This show is a great place to be part of, and I am sure it will contribute to your growth in various aspects of your life as you learn from what different people have to say. So let me come back to this topic: "The Means Justify the End."
We all want to achieve great things in life, but many of us focus primarily on the end result without thinking about what process needs to be taken to achieve that result. When we see a wealthy and successful person, we admire what he has become but are not aware of the adversities he has passed through. We are only eager to get the prize but not willing to pay the price.
That is how society is built; we only want to become a finished product without passing through the rigorous process that makes one a finished product. As much as the end result is important and the primary focus, it cannot exist without the process in the first place; hence, "The Means Justify the End".
In the hangout, I asked a few questions, which I will be answering here:
Why do you think people are often more focused on the result than the process?
We are in a generation where everyone is looking for shortcuts, looking for the fastest way to get rich. They give up at the slightest experience of challenge or difficulty, but they don't know there is always a price for every prize given.
The truth about life is this: the shortest way possible can end up being the hardest way in life. There is a saying that:
Everyone is not wealthy, not because they don't want to be, but because it is difficult to be wealthy, and the choice they have to make would be challenging. It is not a smooth journey, but a journey that is worthwhile.
In general, people are after quick riches; they don't want to pass through any rigorous process; they just want to start and finish in no time, forgetting that the result of what they seek can only be made through a process.
What do you think are the benefits of focusing on the process?
Focusing on the process gets one ready for the sacrifice that is needed to be made and the price that should be paid to achieve one's desired goal. We would be ready to pay for the prize we seek.
Aside from that, passing through a rigorous process brings about confidence in who you are and what you do. You would be able to defend yourself or your set of skills anywhere or anytime. Nobody would be able to ridicule you because of the experience you have gained.
The process itself brings about development; you become in control of your life, and you become who you want to be.
Let's take a wealthy man who had built his riches from the ground floor through hard work and a rigorous process, losing all of his wealth due to a risk he took. You would find that in a year, the man would be doing fine and already building up his riches back or even surpassed what he had lost.
Let's compare with someone who made his money through the lottery and bet. 90% of individuals that made riches through this method end up going broke less than a year after winning such a huge amount of money. Why is this so?
This is because what makes a man wealthy is not the riches he has, but the process he has passed through and the mentality he has grown through that process is what makes a man wealthy.
Leaving wealth to a person who has not grown mentally is synonymous with burying all that wealth in the ground.
What do you think are some of the drawbacks of focusing too much on the result
Focusing on the result is good; I would not go against that, as it is what sparks your interest in starting a journey in the first place, but if the process that leads to the end of that journey is less considered, a lot of drawbacks would come into play. Which is what I would list below:
Lack of clarity: As I have said numerous times, the only way to reach the end of a destination is by following the process or pathway towards that destination. If an individual then chooses to ignore the process and only look at the destination, they will get lost, get easily distracted, and end up leaving the race to the next update that comes up from friends.
Frustration: When you don't know how to get where you are headed, there is bound to be frustration.
Disappointment: You would most likely be disappointed in not achieving the result you dreamed of.
Low self-esteem: When disappointment happens, your self-esteem will be low as you will lack belief in yourself in attaining that prize since, by the way, you have no clarity on what to do.
How do you think we can shift our focus from the result to the process?
Shifting your focus from the result to the process is simply done by asking the right questions. Ask yourself what you need to do to get to where you want to be. What set of steps do I need to take?
Thereafter, it is best to always put your thoughts into writing. People always underestimate the power of writing and how it brings about clarity. It eases the mind and enables the mind to think twice as fast when you put things into writing. Start now, and lay out those thoughts that come to mind.
One more important thing is meeting people who are already where you want to be. If you can't meet them, read about them, study their life, what they did, and what they passed through, as this would let you know and prepare well for the task you are up for.
Don't underestimate the power of reading, writing your thoughts, and socialising with like-minded people. This would help you balance having the process in mind with knowing the result of why you started the journey.
Do you have examples of times when you've focused on the process rather than the result, and how did that turn out for you?
Hive is the first example for me, and focusing on the process of growth and development has really been a life changer for me. I have grown and surpassed goals that I had initially set because I stuck to the process.
Apart from Hive, my life is one of them. I chose to live a life of constantly feeding my mind with positivity, and ever since, the way I see life and the way I make my decisions are being influenced, and I am becoming the man I dream to be.
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Designed by @ grisvisa
Starstrings01, also known as Giftedhands, attends the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta to study mechatronics engineering. He is a lover of the hive, a guitarist from Nigeria, and a student.
His ambition on Hive is to be more than just an ordinary blogger; he wants to be someone with a purpose. That's why he started the newbies initiative 
He tries to juggle education with being active on the chain, but his love and passion for Hive keep him on track..
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