Back in Australia, I’m going deep again…
There are two ways to experience life: broad and deep.
What camp are you in?
I’ve just got back from my travels. I’ve done my annual pilgrimage to Greece, my annual jaunt around the islands, my annual bare-foot stumble around the beach-side bars.
Man. It’s awesome. You’ve got to do Greece at least once, if not half a dozen times.
I genuinely look forward to a time where you look at a trip to Greece the way you look at a trip to the Gold Coast. Not to rag on the Gold Coast or anything, but it’s no Greek Island.
One day soon you’re going to be that wealthy and have that much control over your time.
That’s the whole reason why you’re reading this blog, right? So you can learn tricks and hacks to take you to that place even quicker. And I say “quicker” because you’re on your way there already. If you’re reading these blogs then you are already taking your growth and development seriously, and everyone who does gets the results they’re looking for, sooner or later.
So think of me and these blogs as an accelerant.
Anyway, travel reminds me that there are two ways to live: broad and deep.
Travel is a broad experience. You are expanding your horizons. You are eating foods you’ve never eaten before. You’re meeting people you’ve never met before. You’re learning how to sail a luxury yacht that you’ve never sailed before.
So when you’re travelling, you’re drinking broadly of life.
Coming home again, I’m grateful for the deep experiences of life.
There’s a richness that comes with having a deep and enduring connection with things. You’re walking the streets you’ve been walking for twenty years. You are drinking at your favourite café again, where they always remember your name. You’re spending time with people who know you well, and have been through thick and thin with you.
You are drinking deeply of life, and it’s a beautiful thing.
And I think a balanced life drinks broadly and deeply of life in equal measure.
Some people get hooked on the broad. It’s exciting to try new things, go to new places, meet new people. I’ve met people travelling who have been to every country on earth, but don’t feel like they belong anywhere.
Or it’s the serial monogamist, moving from one girlfriend to the next, always hooked on that honey-moon experience, but never forming really deep connections with his lovers.
They’re hooked on the broad.
At the same time, if there’s too much deep and not enough broad, we start to grow small. We’re not pushing ourselves into new experiences and new challenges. We burrow into ruts – always eating at the same café, talking to the same people, going to the same places for our holidays.
Ideally, we want to live both broad and deep. We want to grow and expand and taste everything life has to offer, but we also want to go deep – to put down roots and know the strength that comes with having community, old friends, and a life-long partner.
This is one of the keys to a balanced and happy life, I reckon.
Go broad, go deep.
It’s good to be back.
JG
Sherie says
I like to think l’m in both but l’m sure l’m more in deep . Loved this article it was a great description of how to look at life , especially after having my first overseas trip ( in my early 50’s ) to Greece . Cannot wait for more travel. Interesting read .