The Cost of Living for Arrival Instead of Alignment

For years, I believed the finish line would fix me.

If I could reach the next milestone, then I would feel steady. If I could secure the next role, then I would feel confident. If I could win the next round of recognition, then I would finally feel worthy.

On the outside, I was achieving. On the inside, I was aching.

Arrival promised peace. Instead, it delivered exhaustion. Every finish line gave me a momentary rush, followed by the familiar hollowness. The horizon kept moving, and I kept chasing.

The cost was not just fatigue. The cost was myself.

The Seduction of Arrival

The myth of arrival is powerful because it is everywhere.

It tells us to measure our value by what we produce. It tells us to equate worth with recognition. It whispers that peace and clarity are always one milestone away.

You know the script:

Once I get the job, then I will feel secure.
Once I earn their respect, then I will stop doubting myself.
Once I achieve this goal, then I can finally rest.

But “then” never comes.