Let me start off by stating my position. As a fan of the two, five and ten year plan, I am all for maps. Life maps, that is, the kind that describe where my life is going, how I am going to get there and what pleasant scenic detours I will take enroute.
Here are the problems with maps. On long journeys, maps lead us to our original destination and not necessarily to where we would like to go right now. Having and blindly following a map can lull us into a false sense of security that seduces us into living passively. It also precludes exploring any interesting rabbit holes discovered along the way. Not only this, but life doesn’t happen according to plan and once we lose track of where we are in relation to our map, it is useless. This is usually when I panic. Let’s take a moment to acknowledge this: Aaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!
Enter the saving power of signposts. While they don’t lay out the next ten steps of the journey, they do tend to show up when we need them, wherever we are. In fact, they often come as an intuition or gut feeling and when we choose the way consciously, they rarely let us down. Living this way (without developing debilitating anxiety), requires developing trust in our own resourcefulness and surrendering to the flow of life.
After having followed my life map diligently for a number of years, I found myself hopelessly and irreparably off course. Thank goodness! I learned (kicking and screaming for a while) to follow the signposts and trust that they would continue to show up. There is still much uncertainty, but it is far outweighed by the exhilaration of living.
So rather than blindly following a map created years ago and risk leading a sterile life executed according to plan, I challenge you to explore your current landscape. Lift a few rocks and climb a few trees. Look for the signposts and uncover some new choices. More work? Yes, but the rewards are experiences that are unscripted, allowing the richness of serendipity and learning to shape your life.
Tara McDonough Tara McDonough, CPCC, is the owner of What’s Possible? an international coaching company which helps people expand and achieve their vision of what is possible. There is a place in coaching for wild imagining, as well as concrete planning, a time for in-depth discussion followed by bold action. Full Profile & Contact Information...
Beth Garrish
Beth Garrish is a certified professional life coach who loves to combine her passion for food, wine and good living with her coaching practice.
Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you were on the RIGHT path? Do you think about having that INCREDIBLE relationship? Well Amaxa Coaching and Training Services is here to help you put the WOW back into your world!
Jeannie Campanelli, Ed.D, CPCC, is deeply committed to sparking the hearts of people to experience an inner confidence - that sense of wholeness, aliveness, and serenity that comes from deeply knowing yourself, fully accepting the lightness and darkness of being human, and living freely by standing in your own truth.
Marlena Field, PCC, CPCC has always been fascinated with the process of change. She believes that for change to be sustainable, there needs to be congruence between the body, mind and spirit.
I love to work with busy professionals helping them get to the core of what matters so they can create work and life on their own terms. I help them articulate and focus on their goals, their priorities and their possibilities, as well as learn new ways to bring out the absolute best in themselves and others.
