The intersections ahead will define our life and leadership. Too often, the rear-view mirror distracts us from all that the windshield has to offer in this world. Learning from our experiences is an extremely valuable tool, but can also leave us stuck at an intersection in life. The windshield offers all the excitement, potential, and possibilities that lie ahead of us.
Whenever I speak to groups about leadership, I generally tell the audience that life and leadership are a series of intersections. There are always crossroads with intersections that await.
This was a special weekend for our family. My daughter, Ashtyn Ann, turned sweet sixteen. Her cousin and closest friends threw her a surprise party in our basement; during the event Shannon and I surprised her with a car. It’s crazy to think we have a child who is old enough to venture out on her own, no longer dependent on mom and dad to get her from place to place.
As a parent, it is a super scary feeling. But, at the same time, it is exciting for Ashtyn and her future. This is a big season in her life.
This week, I wanted to share four personal thoughts for my daughter as she approaches the intersections ahead, while applying those thoughts to our leadership worlds. I hope you enjoy.
Detours
Whenever there is major construction at an intersection, Ashtyn will get detoured. It will interrupt her path of travel. The journey won’t always go how we mapped it out.
Detours will be frustrating because they will take longer to get where she is going. On the flip side, she will still arrive at the desired destination. Detours will take her down the backroads. These alternate routes will expose her to new ways, new adventures, new twists, and new turns. All will serve as a different Vantage Point for her.
In life and leadership, when we see detours redirecting our journeys, it can become discouraging and downright frustrating. We…just…want…to…get…where…we…are…going! If we can shift our perspective, detours can lead us to more spectacular views, alternate perspectives, and unexpected experiences. Construction in our journeys is a necessary process in the life of a growing leader. Just follow the detour signs, enjoy the journey, and we will arrive at the same destination.
Congestion
We live in the Metro Atlanta area, congestion happens. As Ashtyn tries to get somewhere during busy times of the day, she will most definitely experience chaos, confusion, and sometimes difficult circumstances. Intersections will get busy, things will move fast. I have always told her behind the wheel, that when things speed up around you, just slow down.
Life and leadership lead us down extremely busy roads with congested intersections. Chaos, confusion, and difficult circumstances await at every turn. Busy will run us out of gas, wear the tires down, and lead to crashes. When things speed up in our crazy worlds, the best option is to let off the accelerator and just SLOW DOWN. We make better and clearer decisions when we do. Slowing down reduces the congestion of life and leadership.
Red Lights
Ashtyn will need to understand that some red lights at intersections take forever. I strongly believe that they take even longer when we are trying to get somewhere faster. Red lights will require patience for her. As we have worked on her driving, I have advised her to make sure that when the light turns green, she still checks to make sure cross traffic has stopped. Not everyone stops on red, pressing the gas too early could result in a serious collision. Waiting never hurts anyone.
When we are trying to get to a desired destination in our life and leadership journeys, patiently waiting can be very difficult. It is engrained in our nature to get further, faster. But, some of our biggest personal and professional growth takes place in seasons of waiting. It is in these seasons of waiting where we can reflect the deepest. Waiting offers the time necessary to think through our next decision, calculate our next stop, allows us to refuel for the rest of the journey, and pause to make sure we are still on the next route. Waiting just requires perspective.
Green Lights
It won’t always happen like this, but sometimes she will catch all the greenlights. On the rare occasion she does, I highly advise her to roll the windows down and crank up the music. It is a good day, just rest in it.
Too often we can breeze through the good days of life and leadership. Sometimes we just need to sit back and enjoy it. The next task, the next project, and the next big thing can wait for just a moment. Enjoy the ride!
Ever had one of those days where you catch all the green lights? It’s all green, all the way.
Conclusion
It will be tough to watch my baby girl drive off when she gets her license next week. The father in me will be worried sick. I do hope that I can muster up a bit of this perspective that I have shared with you that day. This is such an awesome opportunity for her and her world.
How about you? Are you excited about the intersections that lie ahead in your world? Is worry, fear, and doubt impeding your ability to press the gas? The future is only scary because it is uncertain, but with the right perspectives, the possibilities are endless. Tear off the rear-view mirror and eagerly anticipate what awaits in the windshield.