Choosing The Right Path That Helps You Achieve Your Goals

Some time ago, I had a job opportunity come my way. It was at a reputed organization. The role was also something I had been thinking about for some time. From my research, I learned that the interview preparation was supposed to be rigorous with several months of practice. 

This opportunity had come right around the time I left my previous job. I would have just a few weeks to prepare. I decided it wouldn’t hurt to give it a go. I didn’t, however, realize that I was in a vulnerable state from making a difficult choice to leave my job. I was in no shape to make a well-thought-out decision. 

How do we know if the path we want to choose to move forward is the right one for us? In this latest post, I talk about my experience picking the right path forward. I discuss finding the right mountain to climb for our long-term success. 

Reflecting On The Experience

After I decided to give my interview a shot, I began my 3-week long preparation. As I continued on that path, I realized I was trying to learn a few months’ curriculum in just a few weeks. 

Something about it felt all wrong. It felt like giving a test knowing you know only 5 out of 10 questions. The perfectionist in me wanted me to stop and not move forward. 

The other part of me was saying, Are you being chicken? Even if you don’t get through this, it would still get you closer to the job when it finally works out, right? I also wanted to prove to myself and others that I could get it. 

The day finally came, and as I feared, I didn’t do as well as I would have wanted. I needed a lot more practice. I had a few gaps in being able to achieve that particular role. 

Difficult experiences serve as excellent opportunities for self-reflection. Looking back, I realized the role didn’t align with my long-term goal. It was a mountain to climb but not the one I needed to climb. 

Choosing The Right Path

A few weeks after the interview was done, I happened to listen to the Daily Jay meditation series on the Calm App. This particular one was about choosing the right path to get you where you want to go. Listening to the audio series was like an Aha moment for me. 

According to Jay Shetty, In life, we attempt to climb many mountains. Whenever we are stuck, we should visualize the mountain we want to climb and ask how we will get there. What is the best path that would bring us closer to the top? 

We may run into blockers and may need to find a new way. We may feel like we are moving away from the peak. Or maybe we need to take a plunge to go back up. 

Jay shares that sometimes, halfway through, you may realize that this isn’t the summit you want to scale. You may discover that your time and energy are better spent elsewhere. 

For me, this was the case. The role was a mountain to climb, but it wasn’t my mountain. It wouldn’t have gotten me anywhere close to where I wanted to be years from now. Instead, I would be spending all my energy trying to succeed in the new role.

Deciding The Path When At A Crossroad

Jay also talked about making a decision when at crossroads. Where you think your decision could bring you to your end goal, but you aren’t sure. 

He talks about employing what best-selling authors Dan and Chip Heath call a tripwire. It’s where we pick a path and march fearlessly until we stumble. We can then check in periodically to see if that path brought us in the direction you want. We proceed accordingly. 

I have chosen to go tripwire on my goals. I decided to craft my life in a way that gets me closer to my mountain—making a difference in the world with one article at a time.

I hope this article makes you pause and ponder if you are climbing the right mountain. Not the one that looks good externally but gives you inner satisfaction. The one that aligns with your long-term goals.

Life is full of winding paths that might look confusing at times. The secret is to keep an eye on the mountain and choose your root that gets you to the top. 

– Jay Shetty