When Remington and I head out for a walk, she doesn’t know where we’re going. She doesn’t know whether we’re taking our usual route, exploring a different trail, or turning around sooner than expected. She certainly doesn’t know what’s waiting around the next corner.
And she doesn’t need to.
Remi has learned to pay attention to what’s happening right now. She watches me, notices the world around her, and most importantly, keeps moving. There was a time when that wasn’t so easy. As a puppy, everything was new and deserved investigation. She had to learn that she didn’t need to understand everything she encountered before moving forward.
Once she learned to trust me—and herself—walking became less about anticipating what might happen and more about confidently taking the next step. I think there’s a lesson in there for all of us.
We’ve Become Accustomed to Having a Map
Think about the last time you drove somewhere unfamiliar. Chances are, before you backed out of the driveway, you entered the address into your GPS. Within seconds, you knew how long the trip would take, which roads you would travel, where you would turn, and approximately what time you would arrive. If there was an accident ahead, your GPS might even reroute you before you knew there was a problem.
We’ve become very comfortable knowing where we’re going before we start. Unfortunately, life transitions don’t come with GPS.
There isn’t a voice telling us, In 500 feet, leave the career you’ve outgrown. There isn’t a screen showing us exactly how long it will take to discover what we want next. And there certainly isn’t an automatic rerouting feature when a decision doesn’t work quite as planned.
Instead, we’re asked to rely on something we’ve sometimes forgotten how to use: our own judgment.
We Want the Destination Before We Begin
Many accomplished professionals I work with know something in their lives has changed. The career that once energized them doesn’t anymore. The business they’ve spent years building may feel more burdensome than fulfilling. Retirement may be approaching, or perhaps it has already arrived, and instead of feeling excited, they’re wondering, Now what?
They know something is shifting, but they’re reluctant to move until they can clearly see the destination. We want the equivalent of that blue line on the GPS: Show me where I’m going. Show me the safest route. Tell me how long it will take. And please reassure me that I’m not going to make a wrong turn.
But our next chapters don’t work that way.
After spending decades being capable, prepared, and responsible, not knowing can feel incredibly uncomfortable. So we wait. We tell ourselves we’re being thoughtful—and sometimes we are. But sometimes we’re waiting for a level of certainty that simply isn’t available.
Sometimes Clarity Comes Because We Move
This is where Remington’s walks have reminded me of something important. Sometimes we have to begin walking before we can see where the path leads.
We have the conversation we’ve been postponing. We explore an idea without committing to it. We reconnect with something we once loved. We say no to a responsibility that no longer belongs to us. We try something new and discover we love it—or discover, just as importantly, that we don’t. Each step gives us information we didn’t have while standing still.
That’s especially important during a life transition. You aren’t required to know exactly what your next chapter will look like before you begin exploring it. In fact, expecting yourself to have the entire route mapped out may be the very thing keeping you stuck.
There is a difference between moving recklessly and moving without complete certainty. You can make thoughtful decisions without knowing exactly where every one of them will lead. You can trust the judgment you’ve developed through decades of experience while remaining open to changing direction as you learn more.
And yes, you might make a wrong turn. But unlike your GPS, you don’t need a mechanical voice telling you to reroute. You’ve navigated unexpected turns before. You can evaluate where you are, make another decision, and choose a different direction.
Perhaps that’s the kind of confidence we need to rediscover.
Remi’s Takeaway
You don’t have to see the whole path to take the next step.
Trust what you know today and pay attention to what you’re discovering along the way. Your experiences have given you an internal compass that is far more valuable than you may realize. The direction you’re searching for may become clearer because you were willing to move.
A Question to Consider
Are you postponing your next step because you’re waiting for a GPS to show you exactly where your life is supposed to go?
Instead, perhaps the better question is: What do I know enough about today to take one thoughtful step forward?
You don’t need to have the rest figured out yet. Again, you don’t have to see the whole path to take the next step!
Where Are You on Your Journey?
If you’re experiencing a change in your career, business, responsibilities, relationships, or sense of purpose and aren’t quite sure what comes next, don’t begin by forcing yourself to make a major decision. Begin by understanding where you are.
That’s why I created the “Life Transition Profile™. It helps you recognize the stage of transition you’re experiencing and begin putting words around changes you may already be feeling.
Think of it differently from a GPS. The Life Transition Profile™isn’t designed to tell you where to go. It’s designed to help you understand where you are. What comes next is yours to discover.
Because your next chapter doesn’t begin when you can see the entire path.
It begins when you trust yourself enough to take the next step.