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FOLLOW YOUR INNER GPS

5 HELPFUL TIPS FOR NAVIGATING

THROUGH LIFE

Talayah G. Stovall is an author, speaker Her previous works include Crossing the Threshold, 150 Im-
portant Questions You Should Ask Before You Say “I Do,” P.U.M.P. It Up!, and 7 Secrets to Ignite Your
Dreams. http://www.talayahstovall.com
Over the past year and a half, I’ve been doing 3. It is never too late to get back on track. Some-
some training on the road that has required a times we get stuck in traffic. Other times we need to
lot of driving. One week alone, I logged 885 take a detour. Navvie taught me that it doesn’t matter
miles on my rental car. Although I’d never used it if I get stalled or off track along the way. She doesn’t
before this project, the navigation system on my smart- care how long it takes to arrive at our destination. She
phone quickly became my new best friend. Even with allows me to pick up right where I left off and keep
clear instructions from “Navvie,” as I call the voice, I going. There is no such thing as too late, too old, or too
still managed to get lost at times. far off to get back on track with your goals. Persistence
pays off, and it will always work out in the end if you
But Navvie is ever patient with me, simply saying in a just keep moving in the right direction.
sunny voice, “new route” every time I mess up. She
never says, “I told you that twice already. What’s wrong 4. You might be closer than you think. One night,
with you?” She never raises her voice or insults me for I drove around and around within a half-mile radius,
making a mistake. I appreciate her for that, and I try to looking for my hotel for at least 30 minutes. It was right
cooperate as much as possible. there, but I couldn’t see it because, by design, it blend-
ed in seamlessly with all the other buildings. (Some-
We all have goals we want to achieve—places we see how I’d managed to find a hotel that was conveniently
ourselves going in life. Sometimes getting there isn’t a located right in the middle of a strip mall, but we won’t
straight shot. There are twists and turns along the way, get into my shopping habits here.) Sometimes a goal
and it’s easy to get confused and frustrated when we might seem out of focus. We can’t see it clearly because
lose direction. Here are five lessons that Navvie taught of everything else going on around us that distracts us
me about navigating through life: from where we are heading. If we refocus ourselves,
we just might find that what we want has been right in
1. You must know where you are and where you front of us all along.
want to go. Though uncomfortable with this knowl-
edge at first, I soon became grateful that “the system” 5. Enjoy the journey. While I navigated through
always knew where I was at any time. Armed with that unfamiliar territory, I found many delightful distrac-
knowledge, the only thing I have to tell Navvie is where tions along the way. From historic sites to outlet malls,
I am trying to go. In order to achieve our goals, we first I took it all in. I got the opportunity to visit places that
have to be honest with ourselves about where we are I wouldn’t have ordinarily seen. I’ve met (well, I’ve
right now. Then we must have a clear and specific view seen) Punxsutawney Phil, the supposedly 124-year-old
of where we want to end up. As Stephen Covey says, we groundhog who predicts the weather each February. I’ve
have to “start with the end in mind” if we are to reach visited the Mississippi River town where Mark Twain grew
any of our goals. up and based his classic tales. I’ve snapped breathtaking
pictures of Yosemite National Park. The list goes on . .
2. There is more than one way to get there. I noticed . It’s important to appreciate where we are on the way
that when I put an address in the system, Navvie gives to where we’re going, even in those moments when we
me a choice of three routes, with the mileage and feel “lost.” Take some time to stop and smell the roses.
estimated travel time for each. I get to choose which It makes the journey more enjoyable, and, before you
route is more appealing to me. I can choose the fast- know it, you will have arrived at your destination.
est, the most scenic, and so on. The good thing is that
all the routes ultimately lead to my destination. There If your current path isn’t taking you where you want
is always more than one way to arrive at our goals, so to go, it isn’t too late to change direction. Don’t allow
we should never get discouraged when our path is not your dreams to die. Get started today! Envision what
exactly the same as someone else’s. Trust that you will you want for your life, set your destination, and remem-
eventually arrive at your destination. ber to have fun along the way. And if you need support
on your journey, always reach out for guidance. For
more tips, see my book, Light Bulb Moments.

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