We all have goals and dreams that we wish to achieve in our lifetime. Some dream of making huge impacts on the world around them while others are satisfied with the idea of raising their families on some island while savouring the wonderful nature around them. No matter what your aspirations are, your current reality most likely isn’t a reflection of them. They lie somewhere in the future.

But then, having a desire for a certain future isn’t enough to take us there. The subtle notion that time is the difference between our present and the future we want to have is a fallacy. Time doesn’t change anything in itself, it only reveals. It reveals the outcome of our actions —or inaction. The only thing that progresses automatically with time is age.

To be clear, time is a factor in achieving our goals. There’s a saying that “good things take time”, but I beg to argue that the saying is incomplete. Good things don’t just take time, they take time and effort. Time without the necessary effort never produced no good thing. On the same note, rushed efforts that boycott the time factor produce subpar results.

The Process, A Filter

For every goal or desired future, there’s always a process that takes us from where we currently are to where we want to be. Some of these processes are already defined, like going through the university to obtain a degree, while others are undefined and require us to explore different paths and ideas.

The ability to go through the process required for the desired outcomes is what separates those that eventually get the results and those that don’t. It’s like a natural filter that vets how much our desire burns within us. I mean, if everyone got what they wanted just by desiring it, maybe life would have been so much easier.

But there’s a downside to having it easy. We wouldn’t place so much value on the results if the path to achieving them were all rosy. The value of a thing is often proportional to the price paid to acquire it. Ostentatious goods are desirable because of the extravagant price tags placed on them. Those in possession of such goods display them with so much price as it communicates their affluence without them having to say anything.

In achieving our desired results, the pricetag is the process. Some goals are more expensive than others. Some require us to make more sacrifices than others. It’s usually non-negotiable. You can’t bargain it. Whoever is willing to pay the price gets the goods. It’s that simple.

Lay Proper Foundation

Some architectural structures are more complex than others. Some rank as iconic, with a touch of magic that leaves people in awe, and the architects behind them are placed in high regard. But one thing is common amongst every building that rises above the ground — the foundation.

The foundation of every building is the most important part of any structure. It bears the entire weight of the building, and the larger the edifice, the stronger the required foundation.

Now, consider your dreams and aspirations as edifices to be built. Something that people will marvel at when your construction is complete. Well, you probably have it outlined on paper like the wise architect that you are. But for that building you envisioned to stand properly, you’ll need to pay attention to the foundation you place beneath it. The process is this foundation.

The future you desire cannot be sustained if you are not equipped for it. If your dreams were handed to you on a platter and you do not possess what is required to maintain them, you would eventually sabotage them.

No matter the finesse that goes into the construction of a building and the glamour of the edifice when it is completed, if the foundation is faulty, it wouldn’t take long before it comes crashing down. It might look good for a moment, but just as I mentioned in the opening column, time would only reveal the flaws in the process.

Stay Clear of Shortcuts

In navigating around town, we are often seeking the shortest route from point A to point B. The goal is to spend as a short time on the commute as possible.

I was quite familiar with the alleys in my neighbourhood growing up. Whenever I had to run an errand, I knew the shortest route that led to my destination. Some of these shortcuts were quite crooked, passing in-between buildings. Some of them were sometimes covered in filth, especially when it rained. Taking the main roads took more time, but they were always easier to navigate.

Well, for the younger me that was eager to fulfill an errand in the shortest possible time and get back to TV or whatever else I was interrupted from, that might have been the best thing to do. But for you seeking to reach for those lofty goals, the last thing you want to do is take a shortcut.

It can be tempting to boycott certain things and take a seemingly shorter route, but that would be you doing yourself a disservice, as the consequences are inevitable. You can get a copy of an original for a cheaper price, but in due time, the difference would be revealed and you’ll wish you saved up for an original.

Trust the process and pay the price, and you’ll be glad you did.