Navigating the Corn Maze of Life…
I saw this graphic posted on social media one day as part of a message about how to create success in business.
The idea being that to create success, first you put on your thinking cap (an old phrase that REALLY dates me!). Doing that brings forth the idea you then try out, take some action on, take MORE action on and eventually achieve success.
Nice work, if you can get it.
The trouble is, many times the path to success in business (or anywhere else for that matter) isn’t really a circle…it’s more like one of those corn mazes that seem to “crop up” (bad pun!) in the fall, especially around Halloween (what does THAT tell you?!?!)
Which got me to thinking … if how you do one thing is how you do everything, would the rules that apply to successfully navigating a corn maze work for successfully navigating the other areas in our lives?
I found these rules on finding your way through a corn maze on Wikihow, and thought it would be fun to see how they might apply to successfully navigating the path to what you truly want.
Rule #1 - Before you enter the maze, know where you will be exiting.
How many of us set out to create a business, design our career, engage in a relationship or any other big time adventure, without ever having a firm idea of what it would look like to actually reach our destination?
It’s important to have a sense of where the “exit” spot is located so we can get a sense for the direction we should be traveling. Equally important is paying attention to all the details along the way that can give us clues as to whether we are heading towards or away from our destination. Knowing where we want to end up also helps inform us when we come to a crossroads, and need to discern the right direction to continue moving foward.
Rule #2 - If you are provided with a map, take a quick glance at it before you walk in.
I can just hear you now… “Where’s the fun if I have to use a map?”
Well, what fun is it to have to call 911 and have them send in the search and rescue dogs because you’ve been wandering around inside the maze for the entire day, and still can’t seem to find the exit?
The same applies to creating success in your life. Do you have even a rough idea of where you are, where you’ve been, and the direction you want to go? Having a map will keep you from wandering around, wasting time and resources doing things that don’t matter, and help to keep you on the path to achieving what it is you really want.
Rule #3 - While walking through the maze, be sure to carefully note where you are. Remember intersections, turns and checkpoints so you do not walk down the same path twice.
How many times have you heard yourself say “I can’t believe I did that AGAIN?!?!”
This is a variation of Rule #1. Pay Attention. Stay in the moment. Use all your senses. Be present. Stop living in jet lag – the stories and beliefs that you adopted in childhood don’t serve you anymore, regardless of their positive intention. Notice what is serving you now and use THOSE beliefs and stories to create the success you desire.
And one more thing – if you run into a dead end, treat it like information, rather than an indictment of your value in the world. Just because the outcome sucked doesn’t mean you do. You tried a path, it didn’t work out…oh well. Try something else, get a different result.
Rule #4 - If you get completely lost, follow the little kids.
This is my favorite rule for success.
Little kids have a direct connection to the magic and power of play. When we are in our “little kid” mode, we lighten up, we play, we laugh, and we don’t take things so seriously. From this place, we open up to our imagination, curiosity and divine guidance. From this place, all things are possible.