How brings you here?
Do you ever feel trapped or held back by invisible barriers that seem to halt your progress? Is your future not shaping up as you expected it to be? Do you find yourself constantly wondering, 'how did I end up here?'
I, too, have wrestled with these questions and many others like them. It's not an easy predicament to face. After investing so much energy and dedication into your current pursuits, it can feel like all your efforts have led you to a dead-end. You've made decisions in good faith, yet the results haven't met your expectations. It's a challenging place to find yourself in, a crossroads of sorts.
However, despite these feelings, it's important to remember that all is not lost. This moment of uncertainty can also be seen as an opportunity. It's a chance to reassess your path, to examine your choices, and to consider new possibilities. Each past decision, whether it brought success or disappointment, has shaped who you are today and has equipped you with valuable experiences.
So, if you're willing to join me on this journey of introspection and growth, I am confident that we can chart a new path forward. Together, we can use these experiences not as stumbling blocks, but stepping stones towards a more fulfilling future
What should be done next?
There's a well-known saying: everything is understood in contrast. What you can do is to examine your current journey in relation to someone else's, looking for lessons to glean from their experiences. Our past experiences shape our paths, and by contrasting them with others', we begin to pinpoint the key differences that can help us to make changes in our lives. As you improve in this kind of analysis, you'll start identifying similar patterns within larger contexts such as teams, groups, or companies. When you apply this exercise at a larger scale, it can offer even deeper insights into the factors that have shaped your journey so far. Be courageous - this process will aid you in making sense of your past and plotting your future course.
You might be wondering, who are the ideal people to engage in these discussions with? Initially, you could approach almost anyone to learn about their life path and how they arrived at their current situation. People with aspirational life stories tend to have particularly captivating experiences to share. Consider reconnecting with friends you haven't spoken to in a while, or engaging in deeper conversations with recent acquaintances from a club or a store, or even striking up a chat with your neighbor.
The purpose here is to step out of your regular social circle and broaden your horizons. This can allow you to discover different ways of thinking, diverse paths to success, and novel approaches to overcoming challenges.
As you become more comfortable with these dialogues, consider seeking out people who hold positions or roles that you aspire to. These individuals can provide valuable insights into the steps they took, the challenges they faced, and the decisions they made to get where they are. By learning from their experiences, you can gain a better understanding of the paths available to you and the actions you might need to take to achieve your own aspirations. In the process, you might even find a mentor or someone willing to provide guidance and support as you navigate your own journey.
If you find that there's no one readily available in your immediate surroundings for these conversations, don't worry! There are plenty of people out there eager to chat and learn about you as well. Consider attending events such as meetup groups, lectures, conferences, or even visiting museums. These are all places where you're likely to encounter intriguing individuals you'd be interested in conversing with.
How to get better and go deeper?
Over time, you might find a few people who stand out — those whose achievements align with your own aspirations. Make an effort to cultivate relationships with these individuals. They can become your mentors, guiding you through the challenges they've already navigated. Their experiences, their successes and failures, can provide you with a blueprint to build your own path towards your goals.
Remember, it's not about copying someone else's path verbatim, but learning from their experiences to create a path that's uniquely yours. Every conversation, every nugget of advice, and every shared experience helps you shape your own journey.
Also don't be disheartened if the process seems slow or if it takes time to find the right people to learn from. This is a process of self-discovery and growth. It's not a race, but a journey. And like any journey, there will be bumps and detours along the way. Keep exploring, keep learning, and most importantly, keep growing. In the end, the insights and knowledge you gain will be invaluable in designing your future
What to do with all of these findings?
So, what's next? If you've reached this point, you've done the challenging work of engaging with new people and gathering insights from their experiences. Well done! Now, it's time to piece everything together and figure out what to do with all this new information.
After comparing your journey with others, you may find that you're actually quite content with where you are. On the other hand, you might feel the need for some change in your life - it could be a dramatic shift or a more subtle one to adjust your direction. If you decide it's time for a change, start formulating a plan and implement it step by step.
Keep in mind, it might not be the best idea to change everything all at once as it poses a significant risk. However, the level of risk you're willing to take is entirely up to you. Decide on the amount of risk you're comfortable with and proceed accordingly. Best of luck!