Success is a journey. This might seem a bit cliché, but it is. Maybe we don’t use paper maps anymore, but most of us plan our trips using GPS. Indeed, GPS might even be the better analogy. Many navigation apps, after all, alert us to detours and promptly offer alternative routes. As such, achieving our goals requires a plan and a willingness to adapt our strategy, when necessary.
We often want to believe that success in a straight path to our destination. Consider, however, the last road trip you have taken. Did you follow the map (or GPS) precisely? I doubt it. There were likely stops for fuel, food, and (certainly) bathroom breaks. Perhaps you even detoured to take in local attractions (tourist sites, scenic overlooks, giant balls of string, etc.). On longer trips, you probably had an overnight stay at a hotel/motel. The point is that we didn’t drive non-stop and we didn’t stick precisely to the directions, but we ultimately got there. Flexibility probably also made the trip more enjoyable. (Trips are never entirely pleasant when we take the “Phoenix by sundown” approach.)
At some point, the road you are taking had to be constructed. If you haven’t noticed, roads are rarely without hills and turns. Roads are built to be safe and to minimize expense. Where possible, obstacles are removed and the road is as flat and straight as is economically possible. Some roads wind though the valleys and climb/descend mountains. (I always enjoy driving through states like West Virginia in the fall.) Engineers will, however, cut and fill where they can—sometimes tunneling through a mountain or forming a bridge over a valley.
Our best approach to goal setting is to realize that, in most cases, others have gone before us. Rarely do we blaze new trails, though it may seem at times like we are on the Oregon Trail. We don’t “go west, young man” without a plan or knowledge of what lies ahead.
If we have no destination, we will never know whether or not or when we have arrived. Hence, our goals need to be “SMART” [i.e., specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable (although, per Coyte Cooper, “not reasonable by normal expectations”), and time-bound]. We also need to monitor progress via pre- and post- (and, perhaps, interim-) testing.
Last I checked, no one has perfected teleporting. Progress is never easy. It requires effort. If you are looking for short-cuts, there rarely are any. Plan the fastest and most effective path that will get you to where you are going.
MapQuest, Waze, Google Maps, Trip Advisor, AAA, etc. We often seek qualified guidance on our journeys. We don’t often trust the shady-looking guy on the street corner for directions. (Many don’t even stop for directions.) We should do our research and seek qualified guidance (i.e., coaching) on our growth journey. The challenge is in discerning what directions to follow. Generally, if the guide is offering an unbelievable short-cut, it is pretty sure that you are likely to end up on a canoe trip in Georgia (a Deliverance reference; no offense intended to my Georgia friends). Plan your course wisely, won’t hear banjo music. Enjoy the journey and welcome the effort.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!
Image source: Deliverance; https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/burt-reynolds-had-deliverance-line-quoted-him-constantly-1140468