Lesson on Guidance vs Self-Reliance

Making a career change is no easy feat by any means.  Whether it was voluntary or a move under pressure, changing course from the path that you've grown accustomed to can leave you grasping for direction.  What if you're not going through a career change and just happen to be faced with an unknown?  How about a "known" and the details just plain freak you out?  To make  matters worse, you may be bombarded with the constant pressure to "blaze your own trail", or "make a difference" or "control your destiny".

I've even talked about bringing yourself to the point of discovery here, but what I want to circle back to and acknowledge is that through every step of my life, there was always....and I mean ALWAYS someone who I can turn to (whether I knew it or not) when faced with a challenge.   If you're like me, you may seem to continuously find yourself up against challenges that seem bigger than the goals beyond them and if those challenges are not kept in the right perspective, you run the chance of not recognizing what may be defining you.

So what makes a person successful?

Some say its the "perseverance", some...the "endurance".  Heck, throw in "the sacrifices" and the all the d's you can think of - drive, determination, desire..and so on.   Perhaps all the above or any combination of them.  No matter what, I think the common denominators are those fate-gifted people who show up when it seems like your life needs it most.

Why this post?

I had an interesting meeting today with a business owner.  Halfway through the exchange of business talk, I caught myself offering advice on challenges that they had put on the table and it was right at that moment that I recognized that I was speaking to someone who is going through the same thing that I once had.   And now, I'm sitting in the seat of the many wise people who offered me advice on how to navigate through challenges of running a business, surviving day-to-day road bumps, and the importance of putting others first.

I can sit here all day and say that I had the (insert "motivational poster quote") to make things happen, but the reality is that none of this could have ever happened without my willingness to:

• accept guidance, even when I'm not searching for it


• be humble when corrected, because others have the experience (and solutions) to share


• act immediately when given a "key", because not everyone is focused on creating opportunities


• to be thankful.   Period

So I'm not taking away from the message of doing what it takes to achieve your goals, nor am I discounting the internet world of "morning inbox quotes".  I am however, emphasizing the importance of seeking or accepting guidance from those that have already gone down the path you are traveling.

"Facing a challenging climb isn't always about making your own path.  Sometimes the best guidance comes from those who have walked before you" - Michael Dela Pena (Green-Tern)