Ever wonder to yourself how you got to be where you are now?

It’s my experience that most of us attribute our current state in life, especially if it’s an undesirable one, to someone or something else. Rarely, do we put the onus on us.

You can certainly find out how you got here. Just reengineer the steps that preceded your current set of circumstances. Then, the trick to find out how you really got here is to remove all the blame you have ascribed to someone or something else. Then you’ll have a clear picture of how you arrived.

But all of that is a history lesson, not a plan to go forward. Going forward also benefits by reengineering. Start with what you want your circumstances to be and work backward from there. What are the steps necessary to build a bridge from where you are to where you want to be?

The past is of no use here – only your current set of circumstances and what you want to evolve to.

There are building blocks necessary to fashion a different future. Get curious as to what they are and then go to work on them one by one. Remember: to climb a mountain, it’s necessary to navigate the foothills first.

Reminds me of a story . . . I have relatives who are Navy SEALs. One of them graduated as one of the top five graduates at a major university in California. An Admiral spoke at the commencement. He said the reason that five of the six top graduates were SEALs was of no surprise to him. He said that they are mission oriented and don’t move on to the next step until the one they’re on is completed.

Make your future a mission. Start by leaving your past behind and craft a vision of what a desirable future looks like. Then employ my favorite Chinese axiom: “Talk doesn’t cook rice.”

Gather your building materials one-by-one, then assemble them piece by piece. Make your future more than a wish; take the necessary actions and work your plan, and you’ll never again have to wonder how you got to be where you are now. You’ll have a blueprint.

All the best,

John

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