I know we are in the days of GPS and letting the Google gods or Waze wizards dictate how we get from point A to point B. But let me harken you back to the days of the good old road map.
I am talking about the coffee-table sized atlas that you may have used to find the capital of Djibouti for school and the worn out paper state map that you struggled to refold after searching for the correct upcoming exit while speeding across Pennsylvania.
Road maps are our guide to get us to our next destination.
Without the right map, the chances are slim-to-none that we will get where we need to go, and even slimmer that we get there on the best path.
Setting your intention for the future is your opportunity to create a new road map to reflect your true alignment. You can do this in three steps.
Three steps to a new road map
1) Choose the right destination
Identify the place that aligns with your values and strengths.
- It is the place that reflects the legacy that you want to leave.
- It is the place in which you have the relationships you want with the right people.
- It is the place where you do the work you are meant to be doing.
- It is the place where you can leverage the strengths and skills that you have been developing along the way.
Note that your destination may not actually be unique to you. But the reason that you are aligned to it absolutely should be unique to you.
For example, many people may have the intention of becoming a managing principal in their organization.
- One may intend to do so because it is a position in which they can impact the direction of the company in a specific way.
- Another may do so in order to be in a position to mentor and grow others.
- Yet another may use it as a way to find financial comfort for her and her family.
—> Same destination.
—> Unique alignment.
2) Choose the best path
One problem with the Google maps and Waze’s of today: although they may have knowledge of every destination, the algorithm that is used to find your route is not necessarily the one that is best suited to you. Sure, you have some inputs such as choosing the shortest distance, quickest trip, or going through a specific location on the way.
With intentional alignment, broader considerations are needed in order to identify the path that aligns with your values and strengths.
- It is the path that skirts around the situations which cause the resistance you feel when your values are not being lived into.
- It is the path that allows you to play to your strengths and use your unique talents.
- It is the path that engages your creativity and fun.
- It is the path that you can look back on and see that you walked it as you.
Consider what skills are important to build along the way, and what elements of the path are most important. Do you need to balance family and professional achievements? Do you need to contribute to the community in a certain way?
Carefully consider the many paths that can lead to your destination and choose intentionally.
3) Modify as you go
To this end, Google and Waze bring forward the value of up-to-the-minute views of traffic, construction, or other hazards.
Make your map a living document. Your alignment changes as you move through each challenge, each experience, and each relationship. Your map needs to keep up.
- Expand your map when it needs to go in a new direction, or you get close to the edge of the known.
- Periodically review both your destination and path to make sure they still fit who you are.
- Adjust to accommodate surprises that pop up.
Changing your route along the way does not mean that you were on the wrong path. It means that you are staying up-to-date with who you are, what you have learned on the way, and what new tools you now have available to get you to where you need to be.
Pitfalls to watch for
- If your map is out of date, you will have an even harder time getting where you are going. Street names change. Landmarks disappear. Heck, sometimes even countries split into two. Make sure that your roadmap reflects where you are and who you are today.
- Use the right kind of map. If you are hiking in the backcountry, make sure you have a topographical map rather than a map of the highways (paved roads are much less important than knowing where the steep side of the mountain is).
- Choose your route based on your own criteria (e.g. most scenic/fewest left hand turns/allows me to stop and get flowers/biggest downhills so I can feel the wind in my hair on the way down) so that the path you take is aligned with your values and strengths. Don’t blindly follow someone else’s directions just because they have already arrived at the destination you want to get to.
- Consult the map regularly. Be aware of when you are getting off track so that you can easily get back on before straying too far off course.
- Share your intended destination and route with others. And know what maps they are following. You will undoubtedly see others along your route. You can help keep each other on track and maybe even travel with them a while.
Reflection
- Where are you headed today?
- What route will get you there in the best possible manner?
- What will you do to realign periodically throughout the trip?
Congratulations! You just set up a new road map that reflects the intentions true to YOU!
This is the first in a series of blogs exploring different elements of intention. Check out the others here:
As always, I look forward to your comments – share them below or directly sent to me.
P.S. Knowing what your compass looks like today is a key first step in alignment. You can start that adventure in the Creating My Compass course.