The never ending escalator (updated for 2024)

Seriously. It goes on. And on. And on.

Note - I’d actually written a different article just now, but I’m not ready to share it yet. This is a pre-prepared one, and if / when the time is right, I’ll share todays one! Cryptic, I know…

Depending on the lens through which you read this, I have some horrible, or some reassuring news.

You will never make it.

There. I said it!

If you learn one thing today, I'd like you to learn about the concept of the never ending escalator.

We are all on a journey in our life, and often we see it like a road. It's going off into the distance, but usually in our mind there's a pot of gold at the end of it. Retirement, a new car, a promotion, running a marathon.

All of these things are admirable goals, but are they really the end of the road?

Of course not.

I want you to reframe this stuff.

Instead of thinking of a defined end goal, I want you to think of a continuous journey.

A never ending journey.

An escalator to heaven, if you like.

Why an escalator and not a stairway?

Because whatever you're chasing is also on that escalator.

If you run a 10k race in an hour, next time you'll want to hit 59 minutes.

If you buy a BMW 3 series, the 5 is waiting for you.

Even if you end up buying the world's biggest yacht, or become the world heavyweight champion, there's likely always someone richer or better than you just around the corner - especially if you have a bad day. These successes are often fleeting moments in the tapestry of world history.

Once you understand this escalator concept, life becomes quite a bit easier.

The goals are no easier, but our ability to cope with what's afterwards is.

And the reminder that goals need constant resetting helps us with that.

If you've not heard me talk about the notebook under the bed, you will do soon. I think it's in at least two of my books, and likely will be in my next one too. It's a very important lesson.

Enjoy the ride on the escalator, and don't get concerned that the pot of gold is moving at the same pace. It's an escalator, after all.

2024 update (note, the above text has remained entirely unchanged).

It has (quite literally!) been a year of… Safe to say that goal setting has been focused on day to day, rather than big picture.

Does this change anything I’ve shared above? Not at all. It all still applies.

But, rereading this and polishing it slightly to fit into the new brand and with the required statutory information etc has made me realise that I need to focus on where ‘tomorrow Carl’ wants to be; whilst also being mindful that it is a never ending escalator.

The notebook principle still stands. I’ll share that later. I need to step back, assess, dream, do, and enjoy. Over and over again.

And along the way, I’m gonna enjoy the escalator ride. It’s much more fun than the stairs!

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Carl Reader is a WH Smith Bestselling Author and international keynote speaker with a real passion for helping people do better. There are two ways to learn more about Carl! You can either follow him on Social Media if you’re just curious (@carlreader on most platforms), or if you’d like to learn a little more about what he does on stage, through content and in the media from a commercial perspective, you can visit his website.

You can buy a copy of his last book BOSS IT here, wherever you are in the world. And of course, I’d love you to subscribe to this community to be the first to see everything I have to share - just click the button below. It’s free of charge!

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