Reach your Destination with a New Set of Directions

We all have destinations in mind, getting to work, driving home, going to your usual clients. A destination can even mean reaching someone at a different level, tuning in, being able to influence someone to be more responsive.

When was the last time you approached your destination from a different direction? Even a geography change can mix things up a bit. Recently on vacation I decided to sit on the other side of the boat for our sunset cruise around the lake. I was surprised to see things from a different perspective, homes I never noticed before, different trees along the shoreline, rocks in the water, and even a few turtles I may have missed if I was on my usual side.

We are all creatures of habit. What haven't you changed in awhile? Turn your head in a new direction; look out on your life as a horizon yet to be explored. What might you discover?

Do you have difficulty communicating with or influencing a person in your work or life? Do you keep using the same approach? Look at it from their perspective for a moment; sit on the other side of the boat and see their side of the story. Can you communicate differently? Can you ask powerful questions to elicit a positive response and commitment? What would happen if you started your conversation with praise and then continued on your path of conversation? Would it feel different, perhaps stir up greater energy?

What will you see if you took a different road to work in the morning? Is there possibly a more scenic route? What opportunities might you notice in the buildings that you drive past, a new work interest, client, or even a new health food shop? What about walking to your office; do you say hello to the same faces each day? What if you approached from a different angle; are there new faces to be discovered?

One day I had the inspiration to leave my office and walk up and down the street instead of eating lunch, something I had never done before. Along my journey I stopped in at different locations, talked to store owners, and had time to linger in conversation with a bank teller. When I returned, I was amazed. I had been asked by the local small book store to do a book signing and workshop, the bank offered to display my business services materials in their lobby for one week, and I met someone I had not seen for some time who happily greeted me on the sidewalk. Lunchtime took on an entirely different experience.

What would happen if, today, you arrived at your destination with a new set of directions?