Building a Bridge Between Here and There

by Jill MacGregor

They say it’s all about the journey. The sometimes maddening, confusing, frightening, interesting journey that moves you from Point A to Point B in your life.

I hope you’re wearing comfortable shoes.

Just some thoughts as you make your way.

Avoid the comparisons

One of the toughest parts of your journey may be seeing others pull ahead of you. It happens. Instead of making it a negative– as in I’m behind and not keeping up, look at it from a different angle. What can you learn from the forward motion the other person has made? What can you replicate in your own life that may help you? Instead of considering this person competition, maybe what you’ve really done is identify a person who can help you along the way.

Find resources along the way

Speaking of resources, your journey is about new things and you will need some new tools. Things, people, information will be falling onto your path as you travel. Are you going to step over the mound of potential helpfulness because you’ve got places to go or are you going to spend time learning all you can? Take the time you need to absorb what these new resources offer. If you do, you’ll be more prepared as you travel.

Consider your original map as more of a suggestion

Because…really? I know you think you’ve got it all worked out…See, I’ll show you, you say. Look, the most efficient way to get from here to here is this straight line, you tell me as you vigorously point, point, point to your map. Easy, cobra. Great idea, in theory, but chances are, life may have a different route for you full of detours, possible road closures and unexpected pee pee breaks. The world is full of surprises and what you may consider deterrents or possibly setbacks are more accurately described as course corrections that will reveal all in due time.

You will always be fraught with forward motion whether you can sense it or not.

Gauge your progress on how far you’ve come—–not how far you have to go

We are an impatient people tapping our toe while we multi task Scrabble and texting on our iPhones, managing our processes and ordering a triple venti latte. STUFF TO DO! Things never seem to happen fast enough for us.

That’s really what it’s all about. Things rarely happen at the speed we wish—which would involve us cracking a few G’s, our faces pushed back from the pressure, a barf bag in our hand.

Unpleasant.

Throw a look over your shoulder once in a while and take a look at how much ground you’ve already covered. I understand that may not be exactly where you want to be at this moment but LOOK! You have some serious momentum here! Alright, enough of that. Now, eyes forward. No resting on laurels. That was just designed to give you a little boost as you bootstrap it and keep on.

By the way, great job.

And building that bridge? I think the bridge already exists. Perhaps your job is to put one foot in front of the other without looking down, without running back from whence you came or without jumping over the side.

You’re almost there. I wonder what you’ll discover today…