Paths Are Created When You Walk First
October 17, 2021
You never discover a new place when you tread the beaten path.
When you are new to any pursuit, you look for the comfort of the existing landmarks. Because they inform you about the lie of the land, and they tell you the story of the travelers that went before you and created the landscape for you to explore. Following the footsteps of others gives you a sense of certainty and security- that it is safe for you.
The problem occurs when you get too comfortable going the same path as many others just like you. You end up jostling for space in the crowded landscape like everyone else, and you get stressed. You yearn for open spaces and freedom of movement.
What is the alternative?
A willingness to explore and experiment beyond the certainty and security of a trodden path and a crowded place. Discovery of any new territory starts with having the curiosity to go down a path that does not exist, where you are surrendering to the ambiguity of the unknown. The good news is you will never be alone in this journey. You will just be the first one. Once you take the first steps and go down a path that does not exist, you create a path for others to follow, eventually to find their own paths.
Travel life, charting paths that are uniquely yours with your footsteps. Your path is more valuable than the destination you may reach because everyone else is looking for the comfort of the trail you create to make their own journeys.
Travelers, there is no path, paths are made by walking.
Antonio Machado, Campos de Castilla.
