The difference between knowing the path and walking the path

We know where we want to get to.

The funding round.

The product launch.

The promotion.

The problem is, we often think we know how to get there, too.

Why is this a problem?

Because the path to get to where we’re going unfolds in front of us.

It cannot be known in advance.

And if it can, then we’re not going anywhere new.

We’re walking a path that’s already been paved.

To get to where we want to go, therefore, requires stepping into the unknown.

It means giving up control.

Giving up control is hard.

But the control is an illusion.

Believing that we know how we get to our destination makes us feel safe.

But it puts us in greater danger, because when we think we know the path, we’re less prepared for the unexpected.

The package that’s no longer supported.

The lead developer who quits.

The sales rep who lands a deal based on a feature you’ve barely sketched out.

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune sting less when you accept they’re both inevitable, and unknowable.

That doesn’t mean you don’t plan. That you don’t have contingencies. That you entrust everything to fate.

What it does mean is acceptance that these alone will not save you.

You will need to improvise. To adapt. To change.

And by the time you reach your destination, you’ll realise something.

You’re where you wanted to be, but you’re not the same company, the same team, or even the same person who set off on the journey to begin with.

So the only question to ask is: where do we want to go next?