ears ago, an engineering schoolmate brought up the topic of life goals. My response was immediate — “owning a wall of music CDs and a high-displacement motorcycle”. His reaction was even quicker — “that’s it?” — and it wasn’t exactly devoid of a patronizing tone. That was indeed my objective at that time. Later, I realized the wall of music and motorcycle wasn’t the literal goal – it was symbolic of a more ambitious exploration.

People tend toward one of two orientations: those with specific agendas and those with abstract motivations. Specific goals can be anything, but they are measurable and well-defined – like retiring by the age of 45, or making 200 million dollars, or filing 20 patents, etc. Abstract goals are less defined and more subjective — for example, pursuing an interesting career or seeking knowledge.

Meticulously working towards some objective requires long-term planning and calculated trade-offs. These goals can often conflict with abstract goals, especially in the long run. For instance, you cannot expect to be a millionaire or retire by 45 if you are only going to take “interesting” jobs. Since abstract pursuits prioritize discovering the path, the destination itself becomes secondary. Such expansion of the boundaries requires identifying the current margins and pushing beyond them. Specific goals operate within a defined space, while abstract goals will expand it.

A general approach to life tends to reflect across domains. So, whether it’s discovering music or exploring the great outdoors on a motorcycle, these can be approached as destination-driven or exploration-driven. For example, instead of targeting sub-genres, it can be about discovering broad qualities like rich layering, structural progression, and dynamics of influences. Similarly, riding can also vary from destination-driven to exploration-driven. It could be about discovering the diverse terrains — experiencing landscapes spanning altitudes and micro-climates.

Without targeting destinations, motorcycling could just be about looking at a map to identify winding roads. This often leads to unexpected unpaved miles, rustic routes cutting through state parks or bordering the coast or high-altitude lakes. You will inevitably get a bit lost or run into restricted access roads or run low on fuel. It will involve long stretches of solitude — until you cross paths with another solo rider traveling the same path, coming from the opposite direction. In short, the journey never goes according to plan, but there is no plan when exploration itself is the goal. In hindsight, the wall of music and high-displacement engine represented a depth of exploration far more demanding than it originally conveyed.

Republished at ridersmodel.com