it's not about what's waiting on the other side

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

 

Yes, I'm slightly embarrassed to admit it, those lyrics are from a Miley Cyrus song, "The Climb". I heard the song for the first time about a week ago and it surprised me when it really resonated with me. As the words came through my car's stereo, I was reminded of how important it is to focus on today, the now, and not to worry so much about the future, goals, or achievements. Of course we can plan and prepare and work towards the future, but we're never really going to know what mountains will lie ahead. All we know for sure is that we're here, now, climbing.

The theme depicted in this song ties in with yesterday's post about the dash. Whether you call life a dash or a climb, it's really about the same idea -- that life is action, life is now, life is this moment. The now is the only guarantee we have, but it is so easy for me to get caught up in what will (or might) be. Hearing a song like this triggers one of the key attitudes I am striving for on a daily basis: live in the moment.

When I first heard the song, the lyrics "always gonna be an uphill battle" stuck me as very negative. After giving it some thought, I realized that there is truth in this. There is always going to be struggle and pain. There is always going to be another bad day or another letdown. The hardest -- and most important -- thing to do in life is to realize this and to still be positive. Life, as we all know, isn't paradise. It's not a dream or a fantasy. It's real. And reality can definitely bite. If we realize and accept this and continue to strive towards a positive present anyway, I really believe we can make a difference not only in our own lives but in the lives of those around us.

Perception is so important. If we spend more time thinking about the climb and looking for the positive in everything (good or bad), we may find that every mountain that rises in the distance will be a little easier to scale.

Comments

[Anita]

Good post! I've never heard this song but I like the song lyrics you posted. I'll definitely check it out. Thanks for sharing.