On a trip last year, we drove down many back roads and winding country lanes, often not entirely sure where we would end up. The joy was in the exploration and the journey, not in arriving at the destination. It struck me that we are often willing when on vacation to put the roadmap aside and just explore. We discover charming towns and hidden beauties as we just follow the road wherever it leads, enjoying the journey, living moment to moment.
This spirit of exploration made me think about how we typically limit ourselves in our lives. I wondered where else in my life I took the usual straight and narrow path when it would be more interesting - even more exciting - to follow the road less traveled and take a curious jog on a path I've never seen before. Where would it lead me?
In the hustle and bustle of our busy lives, some of us forget that life is not a destination, a deadline, or a single event. Instead, it's a complex, multi-faceted, organic organism, forever changing as new inputs stimulate its shape and character.
Most people act as if their lives follow a neat linear progression. But, in reality, there is no pre-determined pattern to our lives any more.
Just as there are no longer predictable stages to life, so too are there no longer predictable stages to a career or to a business. They follow a much more organic pattern, and it is almost impossible to predict what the actual results or outcomes will be.
Because our lives are constantly changing and evolving, we need to learn to improvise, to be comfortable with where change takes us. To let go of the "known' and take the risk of exploring uncharted territory.
We can learn to "zigzag" by charting our own path in life and business development, our own individual course, while giving ourselves the gift of time to explore and enjoying the scenery along the way. Our life plan or our business plan will be shaped by these experiences, and we may end up somewhere we never expected to be - and loving it.
Ask yourself this question: Where in my life or my business do I most need to step off the linear, well-trodden path, be open to what's right in front of me in the moment, and take a different course of action? Where can I zigzag to reach my ultimate goal so that I enjoy the journey instead of just focusing on reaching the end result?
Take a more experimental, open-minded approach. Consider an out-of-the-box idea that you've never tried before. Improvise, try something new, do something in a way you've never done it before. If that doesn't work, try something else. Be open to learning something new. We learn more from our failures than we do from our successes, so be open to 'failing' - the surest route to innovation and creativity.
If you have a goal to change your business or the work that you do, consider several different ways you could achieve the same outcome. If you own a business, what could you try that you've never done before? How could you innovate and step in a bold new direction?
In reality, it's not the destination that is important. It's getting there, and then starting off in another direction or down another road, relishing every moment of the journey.
Be open to stumbling upon where you're going rather than mapping it out in advance. Notice which of the many opportunities that come your way really appeal to you most. Say yes to those good opportunities that tap into your passion but weren't in your plan.
Take the more interesting path to reach your goals. Step off the well-trodden, predictable path and learn to zigzag. I assure you - you will be well rewarded!
One of the first things that skateboarders must learn is how to stand in the proper position when standing on a skateboard. This might seem like a simple task but some people have problems when trying to balance their body weight on a board that is not very wide and not very long either. A person might practice standing on the board for an hour or so because they are trying to develop a oneness with the skateboard that is under their feet.
A skateboarder must develop a trust for the equipment that they will eventually use to perform tricks. This type of trust is necessary because a skateboarder will have to have a certain amount of confidence in their abilities and trusting the equipment will help build that confidence. The skateboarder must be thoroughly confident and self-assured while on the board and if they are not, there is a good chance that they will never be able to perform the aerial feats that skateboarding requires.
Part of the confidence comes from being able to stand on the skateboard without falling off. When a sense of balance has been firmly established on a skateboard, then the task of learning the aerodynamics of skateboarding is the next part of the learning process. The sense of balance must be learned before the person will be ready to try skateboarding for real and the first trick that makes them airborne will be the most memorable one of their life.
When learning to skateboard, a person should keep safety in mind at all times. It makes no sense to try out any tricks before the person is physically prepared to handle the task it. A skateboarder might be confident enough to try small tricks out while surrounded by friends who are more adept in the sport. Learning to skateboard properly requires a lot of time and effort and while someone feels confident about being around a skateboard amongst friends, they still might not be ready for outlandish tricks that could very well injure them.
When learning to skateboard among friends, a new skater is sure to learn various tips that are meant to keep them safe. They might learn that skateboards have the tendency to fly out from under skateboarders at any time and if the person that is learning to skate is not familiar with this event, they can prove to be a hazard to anyone that is standing around them. Most skateboarders will practice balancing on the skateboard in the safety of their front yards before attempting skateboarding in the street.
A skateboarder might even ask for help from their parents to build the ramps that they will use to practice on. If the ramps are built to exact specifications, all skateboarders who are training for skateboarding competitions might use them. Keeping parents appraised of the equipment needed to skateboard safely is always a good idea. They will be happy to buy quality skateboards, helmets and knee pads if they will be used during training sessions. A conscientious skateboarder will also make it a point to learn how skateboards are put together and the right speeds that will be needed to perform various tricks.
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Jan Marie Dore has sinced written about articles on various topics from Business Promotion, Marriage and Family. Jan Marie Dore, 'The Women Entrepreneurs Success Coach', is a small business coaching expert and the creator of the 'Women Entrepreneurs Small Business Marketing System'. Get free marketing tips, resources, and the workbook at. Jan Marie Dore's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.
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