One Path

In life we are faced with many decisions. We all wonder which path we are able to take. In reality, since we are given one life, there is only ever one path, just different directions. You will go where your attention goes. Take the old analogy about the girl on the bike. She had the training wheels pulled off her bicycle, now she’s riding around feeling a little jazzy. She heads down a grass hill, not too steep, but just enough to keep her accelerating. Suddenly, she realizes a tree in front of her. She fears, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m going to hit that tree!’ She does exactly what most people do when they are afraid of something: watch it. The girl keeps her attention on the tree, not being very experienced on a bike yet. Staring at the tree, she runs into it. If only she would have focused in the direction she wanted to go she would have avoided the tree completely. Try this next time you feel jazzy on a bike, you will know what I’m talking about. This is just like life. Most people are always focused on what they don’t want, or what they are afraid of. To take control of your mind is to control the direction of your life. I love the how Earl Nightingale compares the mind to a great machine. The man driving down the road in a gigantic ‘earth moving machine’ as he puts it. Do we want to control out minds hands firmly at the wheel, or cross our arms and let the machine drive itself right into a ditch. It’s our own decisions. You could drive this machine in circles but it’s still only one path. I can’t fully explain to you how well life is listening to us. It listens to our thoughts, our actions, our emotions… Personally I veer from path to path frequently. I have many passions and hobbies: art, yoga, fitness, cooking, writing, speaking, math, health, nature.. but every time I switch paths life always throws something along that same line my way. Devote yourself to one thing and you surly cannot fail. If you throw yourself into it with a good attitude and a will to succeed. Keep your thoughts on who you want to be, where you want to go, and how you want to get there. Even if jump around like I do, there is only ever one path. Your path may be curvy, that is fine, but the more direct we make our path the farther we will travel. Love your path. “The less we are, the more we will become.” -Sadhguru.