How I Navigate the Confusing Times in Life

I remember working on orienteering in Boy Scouts where we each had a compass, a map and instructions to navigate from point to point in unfamiliar surroundings. If we were off by a degree or misread the instructions, we could wind up disoriented and not in the best location for what was next.

There are so many life lessons here:

-make sure what you use as your compass is reliable all the time

-know how to read your surroundings to recognize if you are off course

-ensure your instructions are from a trustworthy source

Wandering

Even with all these things in place we can still make missteps and find ourselves confused and wandering through the wilderness. This is when a course correction is needed. Sometimes this requires backtracking to last point we were sure we were in the right place then reassess the next steps.

Your Core

If you find yourself confused, wandering and approaching life as an exercise in trial and error consider this course correction. First, take a look at who you are at your core. You can do this through personality and emotional intelligence assessments to uncover your strengths and weaknesses. I use the DISC, EQi 2.0 and Working Genius in my coaching. Second, ask coworkers and friends for input on what they think you are all about. Third, create a list of your personal values to serve as a filter when considering what is next. You want what you do to be aligned with what you feel is important. This would be a great time to create a personal mission statement as well. I have some exercises I would be happy to share that will help with this process…just email me.

Input

Take this deeper understanding of yourself and look at your options in your current situation. Reach out and ask someone years ahead of you for their story and perspective. I realize YouTube is available to show you how to do pretty much anything but engaging a mentor gives you the feedback and accountability needed to grow faster. It also expands your network that could lead to even better opportunities.

Whose you are

So much of life is not black and white but gray with lots of unknowns. We need a reliable way to make decisions confidently. Knowing who you are provides a great starting point. It is also important to know whose you are. Everybody serves somebody or something. Just like needing a reliable compass and instructions from a trusted source, we need to make sure our source can be counted on every time. The implications are huge because the decisions we make today create our lives tomorrow.

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