There's an old saying that "all roads lead to Rome", an observation of the incredible engineering feat of the Roman empire in the building of a roading network that enhanced transport for military and trade activities. Of course the saying also suggests that all pathways will get us to our preferred destination. Common sense would tell us that such an assumption would be foolish in the least. The truth is, all roads don't lead to Rome.
At the risk of preaching to the choir, let me elaborate. The road of spending more than we earn will not lead to prosperity. The road of eating junk food and watching television all day will not lead to a state of health and fitness. No, no, no, all roads do not lead to Rome.
As a young man I once travelled as a passenger on a road trip between the cities of Perth and Adelaide in Australia. Having left Perth in the afternoon and being half way across this desert road, the driver became sleepy and decided to park on the side of the road for a rest. We slept for a few hours, then while still dark resumed our journey. After driving for another hour or two we came to a sign informing us we were heading back to Perth. Our driver had inadvertently lost his sense of direction and was taking us back the way we came.
Of course we quickly turned around and resumed our journey in the right direction. However, in real life the road signs may not be so clear. How do we know whether the road we are on is in fact taking us in the direction of our dreams and aspirations? Life is so short. How many of us spend years on the wrong road, only to find out too late that not only are we far from our desired expectations, but that it is now too late to change course?
The sobering truth is this; the road you are on may not be leading you to the place where you truly, at the very depths of your being want to go.
One of the keys to finding out if we are on the right road is to take a closer look at the journey so far.
For example, if we desire to find financial security and wealth, take a look at the road so far. Have we a savings plan? Have we undertaken any training that will increase our earning power? Have we learnt any new skills regarding investment or wealth creation? If so, have we put anything we have learnt into practice? Have we attempted anything and failed? If the answer to the above questions is no, it must also be clear that we are not on the road towards financial security and wealth. We are “not on the road to Rome”. In fact, the road we are on is heading in a different direction entirely!
So all roads do not lead to Rome. The question we need all ask is this; where is the road I am on headed? If I keep doing today what I have done yesterday, where will I be as I approach the end of my life journey?
