On harsh journeys, such as navigating a collegiate career, there comes a point when one becomes exhausted from holding fast and pushing through signs of certain defeat. Instead, it is tempting to abandon one’s efforts just to avoid the shame of failing. It is a declaration of ambition bankruptcy.
Uncertain situations are bound to ensue in the pursuit of one’s ambitions. Minor setbacks can be tolerated at first, but sometimes a plan becomes so full of compromise that it seems much easier to simply start anew.
For some, abandoning a personal goal may feel remedied by a total identity rebrand. This can come in the form of seemingly insignificant things, such as a new routine, a shopping spree or even a haircut.
This is the fallacy of the fresh start. One observes their situation and accepts that they would receive a faster satisfaction from abandoning their mistakes rather than working to fix them. They preen amidst mere vanities, hoping to usher in a new prosperous era. In reality, it’s just the same situation with a new haircut, and there’s nothing particularly prosperous about that.
The truth is, life’s pursuits seldom go exactly as planned. Without the fortitude to see a task through, even through struggles, one builds a collection of false starts and a menagerie of half measures.
While stepping back from a task may create an opportunity to restrategize, it becomes a vicious cycle when it starts to happen repeatedly. One becomes far too satisfied with the feeling of starting fresh and becomes filled with complacency.
In reality, the best path to fulfillment is through keeping with the journey despite the setbacks. Plans require time to develop credibility and direction. Determination is best kept by taking steps one at a time without the fear of an imperfect ending.
If one is certain of their destination, it is likely that they won’t feel fully satisfied until the absolute completion of their goal. In this case, maintaining motivation will be difficult.
Feats achieved in the process will feel like nothing more than means to an end, rather than achievements of their own. In this scarcity of gratification, the excitement of a fresh start becomes especially enticing.
It is like pushing a boulder up a hill. No breaks, no satisfaction, no feeling of any progress whatsoever until it is completely finished. To get a fresh start would mean to let the boulder roll down the hill once more and start from the bottom. Seeing a task through can teach one to adapt, while restarting from the same point only wastes time.
In college, time is a precious resource. There’s not enough of it to start from scratch every time something doesn’t go as planned. Perseverance allows one to learn from their mistakes as soon as they make them. This can provide one with the satisfaction of knowing they are constantly improving.
Progress is not made by avoiding obstacles, but by traversing past them. Within the procrastination of one’s journey lies the self-inflicted prolonging of adversity.
