A Walk In the Woods

Have you ever been lost in the woods? Lost to the point where you worried about having to spend the night or perhaps several nights alone? What was the first thing you did after the panic subsided and you stopped wandering around aimlessly? You probably sat down and said to yourself “Hey, settle down, take a breath, THINK for a minute.” And it was during that moment of clarity that you started thinking about your situation differently. You were able to figure it out and find your way out of the woods.

There’s a lesson here that can be carried over to your business. How often do you find yourself so deep in the woods you can’t see the trees? Do you take a minute by yourself to settle down, take a breath and THINK? To see things clearly, it’s important to make some “think time” for yourself.

We call this a Clarity Break. Here’s how it works. Schedule a time to get away from your office and think. I mean really think! This can be the library, a favorite coffee shop, going for a hike or whatever it takes for your mind to break free from all the stuff that’s worrying you or holding you back. Write down the issues, obstacles, barriers, opportunities and ideas that come to mind. Think about how you can involve your team in determining possible solutions and next steps.

Let’s face it, thinking is hard work. As Henry Ford once lamented, it’s probably the reason why so few people do it. Try this routine for a few months. Schedule the time to THINK and see if it helps you approach things differently. You’ll learn to appreciate the trees again and that walk in the woods!