I heard a story once that I really liked.  I don’t remember the exact words so I am going to paraphrase it based on what I remember and what I got out of it.  Out in the desert there was a long, winding road with nothing on it except for one road sign.  However, people were baffled by the fact that drivers on this road kept running in to this one road sign.  Finally someone pointed out that the reason that people were running in to this road sign was because they were surprised to see the sign so they would stare at it and focus on it so much that they ended up running right in to it.  I believe this is a good metaphor for our lives.  We need to look at what kind of driver we are in our life.  Are we the type of driver that easily navigates the long, winding road?  Or are we the type of driver that gets sidetracked and runs right in to the road sign?  To answer this question we need to look at the different areas in our lives.

Are there any areas in your life where you feel stuck?  This could include your work relationships, personal relationships or health and spiritual well being.  Sometimes we don’t even realize we are stuck until someone points out that we are actually stuck focusing on the road sign and not the road itself.  If you find yourself unhappy or stuck in a particular area, you need to move past the road sign that you are focusing on.  Refocus on your ultimate goal down the road and leave the road sign behind.  For example, if you feel miserable at your job, figure out what you would ultimately like to see at the end of this road.  Is it a promotion, working in a different industry, having better working relationships with co-workers?  Then, figure out what road sign it is you’ve been focusing on that has made you feel miserable.  Do you feel taken advantage of, have you lost your passion for this type of work or are you having trouble connecting with people?  Now it is time to move on down the road.  Come up with two things you can work on or change to get yourself to stop looking at the road sign and start easily maneuvering the road again.  We have to regain control of the car to get it headed back in the right direction.  Your goals will change as your life unfolds.  That is normal.  Just make sure you keep focused on the road and your goals ahead, and not sidetracked on any road signs you pass.