This was originally sent as my September 2026 newsletter. Want monthly-ish reflections delivered to your inbox? Sign up here.
With the warmer weather, I have been spending more time on my bike. I love exploring places on a bicycle - the pace is fast enough that I can cover real distance, but slow enough that I feel able to immerse myself in the landscape and take in the sights, sounds and smells of the places I visit.
On a recent ride, while exploring an area I hadn't visited before, I set out with a clear destination in mind. My route was planned enough that I knew which cycle routes to take, and I knew the names of the places I wanted to visit.
So off I set. It was a beautiful, sunny day with little wind, and I made good time. Initially, I rode on trails I knew from previous rides, but soon I found myself in new terrain. And then I started seeing mile markers for places I'd never heard of and roads I didn't recognize.
As I was riding, it occurred to me that this happens in our work lives too! We set goals or intentions, and know where we are and where we're headed. Until life offers us a road sign we don't recognize - an unexpected event occurs, our situation changes in an unexpected way, the project itself hits a roadblock or stalls. In those unexpected moments, we have so many options about what to do next. We can keep pushing in the same direction, trying to force things into the direction we expected them to go. We can stay where we are. Or we can take a step back, take in the new information and choose what we want to do next.
On this occasion, I kept going, thinking I had to be on the right road. When in doubt, push on, right? Soon, though, I realized there were more and more cars and no other cyclists around. I stopped, found myself on a map, reoriented and was soon on my way to my destination along a quieter, safer road.
The experience was a great reminder to pay attention to the signs we see and take the time to consider what the message is before we steam ahead, oblivious to the opportunity to find new ways to reach the outcomes we seek. When we don't read the signs, life just keeps turning up the volume on the messages.
What is your experience of getting lost, seeing the signs or finding your way? I would love to hear from you!
