What you run away from will chase you; What you chase after will run away from you.
Picture this: You’re playing a game of tag in the park with your friends. The thrill of the chase, the laughter, the strategic maneuvers to avoid being “it.” Now, imagine that in this game, there’s a twist. The moment you start running away from someone, they’re bound to chase you with even more determination. Conversely, when you chase after someone, they dart away, making it almost impossible to catch them. This playful scenario isn’t just a child’s game; it’s a profound metaphor for life, captured brilliantly by the saying, “What you run away from will chase you; what you chase after will run away from you.”
Let’s break this down with a slice of real life. Ever noticed how avoiding a problem only makes it loom larger in your mind? Take the example of avoiding a difficult conversation. The more you dodge it, the more it preoccupies your thoughts, growing from a manageable chat into a monstrous confrontation in your imagination. It chases you in your dreams, during your quiet moments, turning into a constant source of anxiety. Here, the act of running away gives the issue a power and speed it never originally had.
On the flip side, consider the pursuit of happiness or success. Sometimes, the harder you chase these elusive goals with a single-minded focus, the more they seem to slip through your fingers. Like trying to catch a butterfly by running after it; the beauty and the satisfaction lie not in the capture but in the appreciation of the journey and the moments along the way. The butterfly often lands softly on you when you sit still, basking in the sun, lost in the moment.
Life, in its essence, is a balance between facing challenges head-on and letting go of the uncontrollable pursuit of outcomes. It’s about understanding that some things need to be confronted to stop their chase, while others require you to ease off the chase to let them come to you naturally.
Consider the story of a young entrepreneur obsessed with achieving success. In his relentless pursuit, he neglected his health, relationships, and even the passion that drove his venture. It was only when he stepped back to nurture these aspects of his life that success, which had seemed so elusive, began to materialize in ways he hadn’t imagined.
This life lesson teaches us about the power of balance and perspective. Running away from fears or challenges only gives them more energy to pursue us. Chasing after desires without mindfulness or appreciation for the present can lead them to elude us. It’s about facing what needs to be faced and allowing life to unfold in its time, finding joy and gratitude in the now.
Now, here’s a question for you to ponder: What are you running away from that you need to confront, and what are you chasing that you need to let come to you in its own time?
* If you’re seeking extra motivation and inspiration on your journey of personal growth, I recommend taking a look at my SMART growth goals page, This page offers thousands of goal ideas that can assist in the establishment of new aspirations and the attainment of greater heights in one’s life. In fact, it was instrumental in my creation of a list of 100 goals, which I pursued for a decade.
Chief Editor
Tal Gur is an impact-driven creator at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 life goals around the globe. Tal's journey and recent book, The Art of Fully Living, inspired him to found Elevate Society.
