What's your next adventure?

Hi friends!

Today I fly to Europe with my father on our second trip together.

This photo was from our previous adventure in Italy, and this time we’re cruising up the Rhine River from Switzerland to Germany and The Netherlands.

In addition to the joy of wandering around new cities with new people, new food, new art…the real adventure is in our relationship.

This photo tells you a lot about our different personalities and approaches to life. We don’t always see eye to eye, but we are better for every attempt. For instance, I know this is him smiling, curiously amused by his daughter pushing him out of his comfort zone.

That’s the thing about adventures, and leaps of all kinds personal and professional.

There’s what you think it’s about — the logistics of sightseeing excursions or printing business cards for your new business — and then there’s what it’s really about beneath the surface.

And what it’s really about? You changing in a fundamental way. You are a different person with every new adventure and leap. You are changing before your very eyes, and so is everyone else around you, and it is totally uncomfortable.

Not unlike the look on my father’s face.

It’s amusing, maybe exciting, and probably some version of scary too. You don’t know what will happen, and there’s no way of knowing until you go for it. Get on the airplane. Send your first marketing email.

On the other side is where you learn who you really are.

What’s your next adventure, personal or professional, and what is the real adventure beneath it?

No matter where in the world we are, we’re in this together.

The formula for leaping

“How will I get there?”

If you have an inkling about what you want next, that’s usually the next question that pops into your mind.

That question can also stop you in your tracks. “If I don’t know how I’ll get there, how can I begin?”

But knowing what you want is more than enough, and the only step to think about is the first one. Taking a step is how you get there, rather than worrying about figuring out the “right” step.

This is the formula for any and every leap:

Just because something looks simple, doesn’t mean it’s easy.

I get it. You still want to know if it’ll work out. If these baby steps will produce the results you want.

They will.

It’s why the second step in this super-simple, super-effective formula is to Keep Going. If you consistently take another step, no matter how small, you will get to a result beyond what you ever thought was possible.

Start and Keep Going.

That means if you’ve already started and you haven’t achieved your goal (or another goal more amazing than you had in mind, because that happens too!), then you are in the Keep Going stage.

Keep taking a step, keep trying new things, keep asking for help, keep focusing on your goal…

You’re getting there.

I believe that, have experienced it myself and have witnessed clients do the same. It works.

If you need help clarifying where to Start or accountability in the Keep Going department, I’m opening up my signature program, Career Clarity & Community, on February 6. An intimate circle of 8 women leaning on and learning from one another as they leap together. There’s a virtual seat with your name on it.

Start and Keep Going. I believe in you!