“It’s not only moving that creates new starting points. Sometimes all it takes is a subtle shift in perspective, an opening of the mind, an intentional pause and reset, or a new route to start to see new options and new possibilities.”
Kristin Armstrong
There is such power in stepping off the treadmill long enough to see where you are in life. The pause must be intentional and routine, or you’ll keep going and going, forever busy and perhaps drifting off course.
I learned the power of this when I was racing in triathlons, and learning how to navigate an open water swim course successfully. All my training was in the pool, and it was easy just to put your head down and swim; a black line on the bottom of the pool and lane dividers kept you going down the right path. However, when you jump into the lake or the ocean, no guide or guardrail keeps you going in the right direction. I vividly remember learning this lesson the hard way in my first half ironman race. I was swimming along, making great time, and decided to look up and check my progress. Imagine my surprise when I found I was at least 100 yards off course and well away from the rest of the pack. It was an easy enough mistake to fix at the moment, but stretch that out to an entire Ironman event or apply the lesson to life. It’s easy to see how you can get off course and away from where you want to be without the discipline to pause to reflect on where you are and where you want to be.
My good friend Garland Vance wrote an excellent book titled, “Gettin’ (un)Busy: 5 Steps to Kill Busyness and Live with Purpose, Productivity, and Peace” which, frankly, I am due to reread and implement some of the principles he outlines and teaches. It is incredible how “being busy” can take over the direction of our lives.
Build a weekly routine to check your course and ensure you are headed in the right direction. You might be drifting away from who you are meant to be. Are you too busy to take the time to check your course? Nothing is worse than being headed in the wrong direction, even if you are making great time…
