Before the great explorers of old set out on their journeys, they would always draw a map of the territory they were about to enter: where was the food and water? Where were the deserts and the swamps, the helpful people and the dangerous ones? Even a sketch map was better than no map at all.
These times that we are living through are a bit like this. No-one can predict what is going to happen tomorrow, let alone next week or next month. So we have all become explorers. And like those great explorers of old, we will succeed better if we have a map to guide us.
In our case, the map we need is not a map of our outer physical world but rather a map of our inner emotional world: a reminder of the things that matter most to us, which we can use as beacons to keep us grounded, inspired, and on track, no matter what is happening around us.
The final chapter of Inner Leadership shows you how to draw this map uniquely for yourself, by pulling together everything you have learned about yourself from applying the book:
- What you are working to create: your inspiring vision
- Why this matters to you — your purpose
- How you are going to make the journey — your values
- How this will help you to live a worthwhile life (as you define it)
- The people who can help you to achieve your vision, and what they need to feel motivated and inspired
- How you will keep yourself centred, grounded, and connected with your priorities as you move forward
- Key quotes and facts that will inspire you to move forward each day
By mapping out these landmarks now, you give yourself something to refer to when you get lost : a way to quickly reorient yourself and set off in the right direction.
The playbook or workbook that accompanies The Churning, Inner Leadership provides a template where you can record your answers: an easily accessible resource when you need to consult your map.
And like those great explorers of old, you can always update your map as you move forward and discover more about the territory.
Even if it’s just a sketch, creating your own customised inspiration map now will help you navigate this time of change better. It’s another way of becoming antifragile: able to use change to become stronger and more inspired.
Do you have a clear map of what motivates and inspires you? Would it be useful if you did?
Adapted from The Churning, Inner Leadership: a framework and a set of tools for building inspiration in a time of change.
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(And remember: you can’t learn to swim just by reading about swimming, you also need to do the practice.)
Photo By Public Record Office of Northern Ireland via StockPholio.net