We often hear people debating about what is more important, is it the end or the means. To put it in simple words you can say is the journey more important or the destination. It is a very relatable philosophy and applicable to almost all the aspect of our lives. Both are very important but we believe it is the means that teaches you real life lessons. The right means will lead to the right end which makes it even more important.
When you are working on a project, what will be more important to you, the outcome or the process? At first, the common answer would be the outcome. But when you think deep, you will realise that it was the process that was significant. The process would teach you a lot of new things, things to do and things not to do. It is the process that would be memorable to you. The struggle and fight you made through the process would help you in growing. You must not forget that if the process was wrong, the goals would never be achieved. Therefore, the means is more important than the end.
It is very easy to overlook the means. Many forget that the means determine the end. A process to any outcome is linked to many intermediary tasks which ultimately determine how your outcome would be. If the process has shortages and not implemented as per the plan, the outcome would suffer. A good evaluation of the process is very important so that the desired outcomes are met. This makes the process even more important than the goals because goals can be achieved only when the effort is made into the process. Therefore, it is the process that determines the success of the outcome.
However, one must not forget that to achieve the end, you follow not evil means. Means should be ethical so that it does not hurt anyone. Any process with evil or illegal deeds is of no use and it is against the philosophy of life. In whatever circumstances you are, when you follow the right means, you will be at peace. Any goals achieved with the wrong means will have repercussions at a later stage of life. Therefore, means are important when done right and in a legal way.
Different people can have different views. Some may find the end more important than the means because it is ultimately the goals that matter. Most business houses focus more on the end than the process. All they are concerned is about achieving their targets and it does not matter by what means they achieve it. So the philosophy of what is important between the end or means may differ from person to person. But overall for your growth and sustainable progress, more attention should be given to the means. It is through the means that you will learn and gain experiences in life.
If at any point in life, you feel low or depressed about not achieving the desired goals, you may get in touch with Living In Wellbeing’s expert counsellors and involve yourself in motivational and inspirational talk with us.
