While we’re not big on people categorization, sometimes great questions do emerge from these distinctions. I find that you can categorize people as inward-journey and outward-journey focused.
Inward-journey people seek to understand themselves and others and find connections to something beyond the material world. Inward journeys don’t have a definite destination. Outward-journey people value achievement, possessions and achieving key measures of success, as defined by our current culture.
In reality no one is completely one or the other. We’re all a blend of inward/outward-focused. However, there are probably preferences, at least during different stages of life. (Think about your focus when you’re just beginning your career, for example.)
Our journeys can change over time. Critical life events force a hard look at what is really important. A serious illness or personal loss can cause individuals to reverse course and focus in on what really matters most – the relationships we have, not the stuff we’ve accumulated.
Check out this article by Wiley W. Souba, M.D., Sc.D., M.B.A. (wow, that’s a lot of letters!) on the movement toward an inward journey, from the perspective of a surgeon.
Where are you on the inward-outward continuum? Is your journey taking you where you want to go?
Can we come along on part of your journey?
Photo from Dollar Photo Club.