Choose Your Path

-by Matt Leedham

“I’ve always wanted to be somebody, but I see now that I should have been more specific.” – Lily Tomlin

I read this quote the other day and it really struck me (and made me chuckle). All too often, the clients we work with have no specific vision of who they want to be or what they want for themselves. Understandably, we fall prey to the commitments and responsibilities of our lives, compromising our own wants and needs. We fail to see, with specificity, the path that will lead in a direction of our choosing. Sometimes we don’t even realize we have a choice.

“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” – Lewis Carroll

If you don’t choose a path for yourself, one will be chosen for you. It will usually be the path of least resistance, or a path of someone else’s choosing. Be specific in what you want, focus on it, and it will begin to materialize. Here are some tips for choosing your own path:

1. Reflect on your Core Values. No core values?
2. Close your eyes and begin to create your Painted Picture.
3. Write it down in as much detail as possible.
4. Share it with at least one person (the scary, but highly effective part).
5. Glance at your vision once/day for 3 months, occasionally modifying it if necessary.

If you do this, you are now beginning to choose your own path. What you will see happen over the next few months may seem strange. You may notice a lot of “coincidences” and may even feel “lucky” at times. Opportunities may present themselves in ways they’ve never appeared before. Grab each one of these moments and make the most of it. Great things are about to happen...

Enjoy the ride!