“The central thought within my mind, is how to stay between these lines. But still be free.” — Jack Johnson
Let’s go on a little trip together.
In your mind’s eye, imagine yourself driving in a convertible. Cruising down the highway into an endless horizon. The wind blowing through your hair.
The ultimate freedom. Right?
Well…maybe not so much.
You are actually following quite a few rules on this journey.
You have to make sure you have enough gas, or you won’t get far. You have to follow your GPS, or you will end up lost. You have to stay between the lines. or you will end up in a ditch.
Let’s go on our trip again. But this time, we will break all the rules. Let’s jump in the car, not paying attention to how much gas we have. And start driving, with no destination. And lanes be damned. We are going off-roading.
How do you think this trip will turn out?
Yep. We will end up in a ditch, out of gas, in the middle of nowhere…utterly lost. Our dream trip has turned into a nightmare.
So, what’s the point of this mental exercise?
The beauty of life lies within the constraints.
With rules, our lives become predictable systems with beautiful results.
Without rules, our lives become unpredictable, ugly chaos.
So…the next time you are getting tired of “all the rules”. Remember, they are here for your own safety.
And your freedom.
Keep on keeping on.
Keep it between the lines.