Road Blocks






This is a familiar site here in Michigan for about three quarters of the year.

The other day I didn't have anything to eat yet, which often makes me a little cranky and to make matters worse I was running late for an appointment as well. So, I am driving a little faster than I should in an attempt to make up some time so I wouldn't be late for my next appointment. When suddenly I saw the dreaded orange death! A road closed sign. No problem I thought, that's an easy fix, I'll just take the back way. So, I cut the corner, did a "U-e" Rockford Files style and sped off down a side street. I was feeling pretty good about myself up until I ran into ANOTHER road closed barricade, followed by another and yet another (no shit, I'm not kidding - G.R. needs to plan these things a lot better before we have all out road rage riots due to being detoured from the detours, it's ridiculous!) 

I kept adapting my route; mapping and re-mapping a course that (hopefully) would get me to my destination at all if not on-time. 

That experience made me think that LIFE is a lot like this as well. We are going along our way toward whatever, where ever we are trying to go and WHAM! we run into a road block. When we run into something that prevents us from getting where we want to go we have a few choices:

1) Get upset, distracted, throw a temper tantrum as we resist what IS in front of us. Resulting not only in a delayed response time to dealing with the challenge, but also this attitude can ruin our experience and make us and those around us miserable.

2) Take it "Dukes of Hazzard" style and go through or over the road block. (Sometimes this isn't a bad strategy, however it should be a calculated CHOICE).

3) Stop the car and wait for the construction to complete and road to open up again. (Sometimes a viable option, however rarely a good option if you hope to get to your destination).

4) Let the barrier stop you from getting to your destination all together. 

5) As efficiently as possible for the circumstance, create another plan, take an alternate route and get back on track as soon as possible.

Although there are many takeaways in this analogy, the main ones I wanted to focus on here are:
1) Have a plan.
2) Be flexible & ready to make a NEW plan if your initial runs into a road block.. 

It's more about what YOU are going to do, than it is about what happens to you. You have to set the pace.

Enjoy the ride!

~Craig

 

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