The child and his big brother went into their backyard and threw ground balls to each other to practice fielding. When the big brother started playing Little League baseball, the two practiced more often. But when the older brother turned 12, and played his last Little League game, the brother gave the sad news: “There’s no reason to practice fielding ground balls anymore.”
Things are worth pursuing only if there’s a goal, of course.
The child sometimes sent away for stuff by mail.
While he waited, he was excited; there was anticipation. And then the package arrived, which was okay. But not nearly as good as the anticipation.
When the child was in high school, he’d practice shooting hoops, and he’d dream about the state championship he’d win one day.
He never did.
As a young man, he dreamed about the person that he’d meet who would change his life. The anticipation carried him through the bad times.
After law school, the young man went to a firm. He argued an appeal that was pretty significant for a person of his age. One of the old-timers at the firm told him, “You just might win this case, and it’s the sort of victory that could launch your career.” He won, but there was no obvious launch.
He published an article in a fairly well-known journal. He dreamed about the business that would come in, making him a leader within the firm. A matter or two came in, but the Earth didn’t shake.
Every once in a while he bought a lottery ticket: “I know that I’m not going to win. But it’s worth a buck to imagine for 24 hours how I’d spend the hundred million if I did.” He never won, of course.
There was a competition to select the next leader of the man’s practice within the firm. He dreamed of how his life would change if only he were picked.
Maybe he got the job; maybe he didn’t.
He reached the firm’s retirement age, and there was no reason to practice fielding ground balls any more.
But wait! The next trip! Just imagine how great the week in New Zealand will be!
There’s always room to dream about the destination. There’s hardly any reason to enjoy the trip along the way.
Mark Herrmann spent 17 years as a partner at a leading international law firm and is now deputy general counsel at a large international company. He is the author of The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Practicing Law and Drug and Device Product Liability Litigation Strategy (affiliate links). You can reach him by email at inhouse@abovethelaw.com.