Lesson 3: There’s No Real Bridge, Go Direct to your Destination
This lesson has been building for me over the last 3 years. It showed me the folly of my earlier approaches and that’s why I’ve been travelling with greater intensity and writing with greater urgency since 2012.
So what was my folly? Early on in my business, I started in a wise way. I decided to be an organizational consultant, so I went directly there and landed my first long-term client. I didn’t go back to school, work for someone else, or do volunteer work to build my skills. I went directly and offered all that I could. Smart choice and action which equalled results.
To my amazement though, I discovered a whole part of me that needed far more expression, and that wasn’t in the guise of a consultant! Eek. Instead of now heading directly to my new destination, I was like a deer in headlights, “What do you want me to do? What is it time to create? Are you serious? I can’t do/have/be that yet!” So I kept my true desires a hobby and fooled myself into thinking I’d save money this way and do it better.
I took the practical and logical approach – after all I’m educated for goodness sake! I also had an internal need to “be a Professional” and show up like one. I feared being seen as a wannabe in my new direction (which now appears silly, since I know the quality of my work). And of course, I didn’t totally believe that I could earn money through my real gifts which have a strong artistry to them. So I kept slogging along in a sense, with my feet in different camps – the “professional” and the artist/creative/ visionary. May my errors now light your way if you’re doing this.
I decided to release consulting, but then I went to work at a university where they kept offering me new contracts. My mind said, “Here’s a regular paying gig that’s stable. Why not hang out here and build this other vision on the side?” And, as an aside, it made my parents happy. That’s where I remained for 5 years, until the contract suddenly ended and I was no further on in my real dreams and had a mortgage. Trading my true destination for temporary stability cost me time, energy, and money. It also stalled other dreams.
I kept looking for that bridge that would help me cross safely to my real life, the one I knew I was meant to live. But that bridge was actually a waiting room and cost much time and energy. Worst, it had no link to my true destination.
I see my clients hope for this all the time – every one of them. “If I just get that safe passage, I’ll make it and get back to what I want.” The safe passage may appear like the in-between job, the next degree/certification, or simply dabbling. They don’t trust their inner vision and knowing. But most of these people are meant to travel directly, that’s why their vision showed up. And it did so on time, not too early.
I see that 20 years can pass building a false bridge and trying to cross it. One day though, you have to make a radical new decision to discover and travel directly to where you want. Only then will miracles and results will appear.
Lesson 3: There is no bridge to your real dream, your highest excitement, your seat of true honour. You have to go directly to your destination and build the foundation on the spot, step-by-step.
