Direction

I have this problem with directions.

I get into my car (for ages this has happened, probably my whole 37-year driving career) I turn on the radio, or a podcast, or my thoughts about life, and I am suddenly on the wrong path.

I know, when I get behind the wheel, where I’m going. I’m intentional about that- I’m going to visit my husband at work. I’m going to the hotel where I’m booked. I’m going to work. I’m going to a trailhead. But within short order, my thoughts have veered my car in the wrong direction. I have to stop my train of thought, and re-direct my course. This happens ALL THE TIME!

Even though, I’m aware of this, and I have said to myself over and over again: FIGURE OUT YOUR ROUTE FIRST, then go, I still get lost.

And so today, I did it A-gain! I knew where I was going. I’ve been there before. I saw in my head the route, I put on podcast, and I made a wrong turn.

And so, infuriated with myself, I yelled: “This is my life! This is my reality!” I have a goal; I might even have a vague idea of the route, But I don’t have enough intention to follow the course. I know what I want, but I don’t have 100% commitment to follow directions. I have intention of getting from here to there, but I get distracted!

I am proud of my ability to be intuitive, but it has gone too far! Sometimes I have to stick with a plan! I do too much Fire-Aiming. And not enough READY-Fire-Aiming!

Damn! I’ve been missing the Ready step all this time! I’ve been giving 99% and not 100%! If 99% swings me off-course too often, I might as well have been giving 0%!

I’m not berating myself! I’m being real. 100% is an absolute necessity! I believe it is my obligation to be successful, and if I don’t find a way to stay on course, I will fail the world. (Whatever that is for me: my community, my friends, my city, my state, my country – I don’t know yet)

I have way too much to share to be complacent about my shortcomings. Starting today, I’m going to ready my map, and I’m going to study path, and then drive.