Recently, our family took a trip to the "Big Apple" where we met up with my parents for a special vacation. It was lots of fun and we created a memorable experience. When traveling to a new city, it's exciting to think about all of the sights and adventures that you will experience. Knowing what you want to do is never a problem. The challenge is getting to where you want to go without getting lost. On our trip, we found ourselves making sure that we left the hotel with not one but two maps--one for the subway and one for the city. I laughed one afternoon as I looked around our hotel room. We had several maps lying around. It's clear that we were afraid of getting lost! One of the great benefits of the trip was the people of NY. The locals were happy to help us when we lost our way. This got me thinking about how Smart Women know the value of getting good direction in their lives.
There are times in your life when you just don't have all of the information you need to get to where you want to go. Fortunately, there are people who do have "expert" knowledge and are willing to help you discover the answers you need. Yet, I find that people don't want to take that first step to ask those who have "expert" knowledge about a subject or situation. Why is that? Could it be that you feel you will be judged for not knowing this information? Are you afraid the person with the knowledge might say "No"? One of the things I've learned is that people really enjoy helping others. It's a real confidence builder when someone has the chance to share their knowledge on something. When we were lost in New York (this happened more than a few times!), people jumped at the chance to get us going in the right direction.
If you are thinking about making any sort of change in your life--whether it's personal or business, doesn't it just make good sense to ask someone who has insight, wisdom and information in that area? You wouldn't try to repair a plumbing leak in your home or take your laptop apart and fix it. So why would you go it alone for a major life change? I learned early on that it's important to have coaches and mentors around me at all times to support me in navigating the path ahead. I feel more confident and relaxed knowing that I have the guidance and mentorship of people who have walked the path ahead of me and can share their journey so that I don't make the same mistakes.
If you are thinking that now is the time for you to make a change in your life, don't go it alone. Here are a few smart solutions to help you stay on course to your destination:
1. Ask an "Expert" - Find someone who is known to be an "expert" in what you want to accomplish. For example, if you are ready to start or grow a business, find someone who has helped others do this successfully. If you are ready to make a change but you're not sure what to do first, find someone who successfully has a system to help you determine what your first steps should be.
2. Give yourself extra time - It's natural when you finally make a decision to do something new that you want the change to happen as quickly as possible. Remember, when you are entering new territory, you need to allow some time for getting off course and then making up for lost time along the way. This is where a good coach or mentor can help you minimize errors and wrong turns. Giving yourself extra time will keep you from having feelings of frustration and keep you excited and inspired about your exciting new journey.
3. Carry a Good Map - One of the things that I do with the women I serve both individually and in my Women's Success Circles is help them to create a plan of action that supports who they are and where they want to go. Each woman has her own Big Ideas, Dreams and Goals so we work together to design a "map" that will serve them individually.
Oh, by the way, being a woman is a real advantage when it comes to asking for direction: My husband Greg would at times settle for studying the map and try to figure out which way we should go to get us back on track. My natural inclination was to ask someone right away for help once we knew we were lost. I wanted to keep moving and get to our next adventure as soon as possible! Smart Women don't go it alone; they seek out the "experts" and get the right directions.
Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.
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2009 Joy Chudacoff
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