When you step off the train in St Jean-Pied-de-Port, the imposing sight of the Pyrenees mountain peaks envelopes you. Starting your Camino to Santiago de Compostela from this point means you must cross these towering mountains on the very first day of your journey!
On the evening before I set off on my first Camino, the host at the Alberge in St Jean-Pied-de-Port gave me a piece of excellent advice that stayed with me, “Remember to look back, many of the most beautiful views are behind you.”
From the very start of your walk, those mountain peaks are captivating. However, halfway through the first day, you might start to wonder that despite all your climbing, you never seem to get any closer! The peaks change, yet they seem to remain quite distant.
When this happened to me, I remembered the advice. It was a moment for me to stop and look back. I enjoyed the stunning view over the valleys, and this moment of reflection made me realise the progress I had already made. With renewed energy, I continued, and the peaks seemed to get just a little closer.
Looking back or reflecting is a powerful way for you to realise what you’re doing and what you’ve already accomplished. When focused on a goal, we often forget to be consciously aware of the progress we’ve made. We tend to experience our current state as a given.
How often do you look into the mirror regarding your own developments and assess the progress you’ve made? Gaining clarity and setting or adjusting direction is crucial for moving forward. However, objective reflection is challenging. Like most people, you might have a subjective view of what you see in the mirror.
Good reflection makes you consciously aware of your current situation and your progress. It helps you clearly see the road ahead and allows you to make necessary adjustments along the way. That clarity along with focused direction will help you achieve your goals quicker and easier. Focused direction leads to less stress, improved health and increased financial success, all in less time.
However, in a world full of distractions, staying focused can be daunting. This is where coaching comes in; a coach will help you create objective clarity and set a clear direction moving forward. A coach will support you compassionately in following your focused direction and reaching your goals. A coach will also be your accountability partner to keep you laser-focused. You will set your actions and your coach will help you adjust, fine-tune, and digest what works quickly.
So, how about you? Are you still on the right track, or is it time to reflect? Perhaps it’s time to work with a coach to ensure you’re moving forward effectively? If you’d like to explore the advantages of coaching, consider reaching out for a free introduction call.
What I’ve Been Reading: “Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley’s Bill Campbell” * by Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg, Alan Eagle
Why Is It Relevant? In Trillion Dollar Coach, the writers take you on a journey through the lessons they experienced first hand by working with Bill Campbell, a sportscoach turned CEO and business coach. Eric Schmidt (former CEO of Google) c.s. not only includes his own experiences, but also interviews over eighty people whose stories of working with Coach Bill are included in a very practical and directly applicable way.