What if you don’t see the end goal right now?
If you knew you were going to be able to play a song on a guitar that will make the one you love, also fall in love with you. Would you learn how to play the strings?
If you knew that at some point in your life you would find yourself on a boat that capsizes, would you learn how to swim?
Subsequently, would you not want to learn swim if you knew you are not going to qualify for an Olympic team?
Would you not want to learn to play the guitar if you knew you are not going to be a rockstar?
Interesting isn’t it?
The idea that one act, one choice, one step can lead you to somewhere else. Like to falling in love, to saving your life, to something big, or to something small.
I was recently having a conversation with a colleague of mine who is going through a change of roles at work. The company has been going through a restructure and has been taking stocks of people’s skills and contributions.
We got to talking about her beliefs, values, and things that get her creative juices going. At this point, she doesn’t know what role within the organisation will fulfil her needs, so she’s asked her boss to go and have a think of a role for her. She then ends the sentence with, “He knows what I want.”
Does he? Really?
It may be a shock to some but your managers in much as you love them because they do a great job, do not walk around thinking about you and your needs as their number one priority. That responsibility is yours and not theirs. If you think otherwise, then get ready for some heartaches.
We got to talking about what small steps can she do that might lead her to the answer or role she seeks. We touched on a new skill she’s developing at the moment. She got excited, but she says “It may not lead to a role that is meatier and does big things for the company”.
She wanted a guarantee before taking a step. The problem is how do you answer a question for the future that is unknown?
You and I surely do not have the answer to this. But neither will she ever have one either.
The closest answer I could think of is turning to Indiana Jones’ The Path of God challenge.
“Only in the leap from the lion’s head will he prove his worth.”
In this challenge, the person must take a “leap of faith” from a sculpture of a lion’s head across a huge canyon, when in reality there is a hidden path that is painted to look like the depth of the canyon. The object was for the person to believe they can cross whether or not they can see the path. — Fandom
One step does not equal the result. That’s the scary part. That one step only leads you to the path where you have to take another step. But each step leads you to have faith in yourself and in the act itself.
Quality questions creates quality life
— Tony Robbins
A friend who is a busy mum could only find one hour on the weekend. So to do something for herself, she looked up a meditation class nearby. The problem was there were no available classes near her on the slot that she was available.
Too bad. She can’t do anything now.
What would happen if she flipped the situation and asked some questions to herself such as “Is there an alternative?” “Can I get by with some quiet time in a room and teach myself?” “Can You Tube help?”
Questions can introduce another dimension to your default one-sided answers.
Different questions mean alternative ways of solving the same problem.
You don’t have to make sweeping statements or grand acts to get you to your goals (big or small).
One step and a set of different questions can help you find your way there.
