Earlier this year my family and I visited Peru and hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. It’s a trip we had been thinking about for years and we were so eager to see this incredible Inca site.

But oddly, our arrival at Machu Picchu was a little underwhelming. We caught our first glimpse of it from the Sun Gate surrounded by tons of other hikers who were all eager to get there. And then when we finally got down to the site there was so much hustle and bustle going on that it was hard to enjoy the moment.

In stark contrast, during the 3 days prior we were enjoying the solitude and beauty of the Andean mountains. We had a wonderful guide who was a big kid at heart and took the time to teach us more about the local flora and fauna, wildlife, culture, traditions and history of the Inca people. We explored nooks and crevices, took in the incredible views as we reached each mountain overpass. We saw llamas, a mountain lion at a distance, condors and beautiful baby birds in a nest hidden within the walls of an old ruin.

It was in these quiet and breathtaking moments that we connected with nature, with one another and felt most alive!

In business, as in life, it’s important to remember that it’s not always about the destination or the goal. Most often you will find that the joy is in the journey.