A GPS is incapable of directing you to a specified destination if it is unable to pinpoint your current location. Earth is surrounded by navigation satellites, each one constantly transmitting signals to receivers. If the receivers are faulty or out of commission, you are unable to discover your location and thus unable to arrive at your desired destination.
Same in life, folks; same with life. If you wanna get to where you wanna go, then realize where you’re starting from! Many times, there is failure to reach a specific outcome because one’s current position was never accurately assessed.
There are two ways our receivers can be faulty: either we live in denial of and refuse to take ownership of our current location, or we are actually unsure of where we are. Both scenarios yield undesirable results. It would be much better to take the time to sort through your life and come to a clear understanding of not only where you are, but where it is that you wish to go.
It only takes incremental pivots in life to end up miles from where you thought you were going. It also only takes incremental pivots to stay on the trajectory that will get you to your desired destination. A ½ degree pivot over the course of a lifetime will yield vastly different results than no pivot at all. Ask yourself: “Am I taking responsibility for where I am today? Do I understand my current position? Do I have a clear destination?”
It is imperative to identify and own (take responsibility for) one’s current location.
Have we had a switch up in schedule recently or a job change?
Have you just uprooted and moved the entire household to a new location?
Are you grieving something or someone?
Make small changes where necessary so that you can continue to move toward where it is you want to end up.
Maybe you know your current position but remain unwilling to own it. Is there a bad habit you need to drop? Take responsibility for it; understand where this habit will land you in 1 year, 5 years and 20 years from now. And change. Pivot slightly.
Perhaps you are not making your health a priority. Fitness and healthy eating have vastly different results than little-to-zero fitness and unhealthy eating.
Think about the things you watch, read and listen to. Will your current intake get you where you want to be in 1, 5 or 20 years from now? Again, make the necessary changes.
Astonishing, but true: “Show me your top 5 habits and I am able to predict your destination.”
Take responsibility for your current position. Are you headed the right direction?
Look up and know where your destination is. At the same time, understand your current stage (location) and own it. Be ok with the current stage. Be ok with the journey. But don’t stay there. Continually reevaluate your life; make small adjustments, pivot slightly so that you can stay on course and reach your desired destination.
Here are a few of the habits I’ve adopted to keep me true to my destination:
I listen to 5 or more chapters of the Bible per day. (This gets me through the Bible twice in a year)
At the end of each week, I take time to evaluate the past week and strategize for the coming week.
I read books that stimulate my thinking.
I workout 5-6 times a week.
Does this mean I never fail to perform any of these habits? Of course not. If I’m sick, I don’t workout. If I’m tired, I don’t read. The key is continual evaluation and making the necessary adjustments. A ½ degree pivot. A slight change. Just keep moving; don’t sit there. Your GPS is constantly readjusting the route according to your movement. You’ll still get to the specified destination as long as you’re moving forward.
Key:
Know and take responsibility for your current location.
Have a clear destination.
Keep moving forward; continually reevaluate and make the necessary adjustments.
Be ok with the journey, yes. But don’t park on that. We all arrive at some destination at the end of our lives. Make sure it’s the destination you want.