Back from my amazing summer excursion, a month long drive through Spain! Well, I mean, I didn't do any of the driving, my partner did. See, I only know how to drive an automatic and since we have a stick here in Belgium, my partner kindly agreed to do all the driving. In total it ended up being close to 5000 kilometers and he did beautifully without so much as a complaint. Nice, huh?
My part in this adventure was to be the navigator. A role that I take with great relish and responsibility! I had my several large maps along with the trip planner for each leg printed out from the internet. I would sit in the passenger seat with the big detail map open on my lap and the turn by turn internet guide at close reach (oh, and I was also in charge of the CD's ? but I digress).
Everything all prepared for, right? No surprises, right? Well, not exactly. While we were totally prepped about 80% of the time, there were still a few glitches. Occasionally, the signs on the roads ? I mean even the road numbers ? were different than what they were supposed to be. We would be going along just fine and then everything would change suddenly and without warning. No names or directions or numbers matched anything remotely familiar. I, of course, went into a tizzy. Flipping pages, shuffling papers, barking at Brad all because I was venturing into uncharted territory.
I mean I was ticked! This was absolutely not the way it was supposed to be. Those silly traffic people putting up these confusing signs ? I mean, didn't they know what I needed? Thus I began the "blame game" ? the stupid internet map people, the stupid sign people, the stupid government and finally, stupid me. (Hmmm, coaching opportunity here? Read on.)
Then there was the event of entering a new city for the first time. More often than not, while our maps were terrific they did not give the detail that we needed in each individual city to be able to totally navigate where we wanted to go. The internet map was our savior here, but still... in every city the street signs were in different places and the names for the streets weren't always what we were expecting. Picture this: two guys and their dog, in some big city in Spain circling on one of those "roundabouts" over and over trying to figure out which off-shoot we should take and which direction all the while dodging incoming and out going drivers who grew up on these roads and are late for work. I hope that image makes you smile, it does me ? at least now looking back.
Inevitably, we always made it to our destination and usually without a hitch. In fact sometimes, when things would look hopeless and nothing was familiar, we would wander and see what came up and strangely enough all of a sudden we would be right where we needed to be and in a better spot than we could have ever planned with all the maps in the world.
I learned several things from this that actually shook me up a bit. Here are a few of the lessons that I got:
? If you stare at the route on the map too much you miss some amazing scenery.
? Most of the time, the signs are very clear and point you in the direction of the destination. When they don't, you can choose to a) get all agitated and scared fearing that you might "fall of the edge of the earth," or b) adventure into the unknown, look for things you recognize and back track when necessary ? remember the world won't come to an end.
? When you are stuck on a roundabout and you feel the pressure of everyone else zipping in and out on familiar territory, remember that a) with time, this can become familiar territory for you too; b) the roundabout is there to help you get where you want to go; c) after a couple spins around, make a decision and go for it ? after all you can always back track!
? New situations can be disorienting. Accept that and relax into the adventure as best you can.
? Learn to drive a stick when you are young ? not profound but simply the truth!
Next time we will talk about the joys of wandering and finding unexpected gems! Below you will find some experiments to help you enjoy the journey more and worry less!
Some Experiments
© 2004 by Roger DeWitt & Life Artistry Coaching. Roger is a certified life and business coach working with people to change their thinking so they can change their lives! Sign up for his monthly "5 Minute Success Tips" at www.lifeartistrycoaching.com
For each of us, how successful we feel will depend... Read More
With the long-term trend of protecting employees' individual self esteem... Read More
It sounds simple- right? You are where you THINK you... Read More
Why is true success so rare?Why does research show that... Read More
What is an ANT? An ANT is an acronym for... Read More
Your mind is the only tool that can create success... Read More
Success is something that happens all by itself once you've... Read More
"If you can tell the world who you are and... Read More
The Definition Of PerseveranceFrom a dictionary: "Persisting in or remaining... Read More
Sometimes success is found through the things that you don't... Read More
Accelerated learning is not only practical, it is profitable. Acquiring... Read More
How many times do we fail at something, then attemp... Read More
"And when it rains on your parade, look up rather... Read More
People often ask me how I became successful in that... Read More
"You will be the same person in five years except... Read More
Being organised is a major step to success and the... Read More
It's simple and powerful.The philosophy of successful people is often... Read More
Picture this scene: Little Johnny's mother places a large piece... Read More
Wow, what an outrageous claim! Why do I say this?... Read More
What makes you unique? Answering this question will provide the... Read More
Ok, let me tell you what I mean.As some of... Read More
Many among us, on many instances, have the habit of... Read More
No one wants to fail. But when in business you... Read More
Sometimes it is better to just get on with doing... Read More
However there is one success secret that costs nothing. And... Read More
In this brief article we will explore four methods that... Read More
A few weeks ago I took my boy on a... Read More
Our brain is a marvelous creation. It receive and transmit... Read More
Imagine that you are in a dimly-lit room. You don't... Read More
Something For You To Consider?How To Create What You Want... Read More
Let's set the scene. You're in a packed stadium. It's... Read More
Hey,Josh here from Investor Wealth Academy sitting 29 stories above... Read More
-- The One Pager Shortcut Series --What are the sharpest... Read More
Imagine living in the world that Helen Keller found herself... Read More
Most of your behavior is determined by your habits. Everything... Read More
1. Clearly define what you want and what is most... Read More
If you have a choice each day in the tasks... Read More
We're all adults, and most of us probably like to... Read More
We are repeatedly told that we should forget about unpleasant... Read More
Your ability to deal constructively and effectively with mistakes and... Read More
If you want to be successful in life, business, or... Read More
Since belief always precedes action, simply changing your beliefs can... Read More
A person who is illiterate can look at a word... Read More
Choose a personal theme song and soundtrack that stirs you... Read More
Everyone talks about how to be successful through hard work... Read More
"Things might have been worse"This is the most powerful, dynamic,... Read More
So you want to be successful (whatever that means to... Read More
Accelerated learning is not only practical, it is profitable. Acquiring... Read More
"Never, never, never give up; never give up, never!." -... Read More
Think out of the box, they say. But what's a... Read More
(Excerpted From The Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan - Pillar... Read More
We have all read about people who are successful briefly.... Read More
In Latin the word means 'to dare'.This word is so... Read More
There are no two greater ironic comparisons than that of... Read More
Failure is GreatYou are probably asking yourself what could be... Read More
"If you want to increase your success rate, double your... Read More
Measure twice, cut once Just as in carpentry, making sure... Read More
The need to be successful. This is the bottom line... Read More
You will have the greatest success if you read the... Read More
Many years ago, forty to be exact, I started my... Read More
Do you sometimes feel that you're living a boring life?... Read More
The Outlaw Josey Wales is an interesting Western that I... Read More
(Excerpted from the 1999 Weekend Seminar audio/CD series)Parents, leaders, employers,... Read More
Does your life feel less than fulfilling? Are you waiting... Read More
Many UK citizens want to settle or retire in Spain... Read More
Can anyone become a successful businessperson? I am asked this... Read More
Success |