Have you ever thought about what it takes to get from point A to point B? After careful consideration I believe you would need 3 things: energy, a vehicle, and a map.

If you were going across the frozen tundra by dogsled the dogs would provide the energy, the sled would be the vehicle, and you would provide the map.

If you were traveling by car, gasoline or fuel would provide the energy, the car would be the vehicle, and you would bring a map, use GPS, or simply follow the interstate signs.

If you were sailing around the world, the wind would provide the energy in conjunction with the sails, the boat would be the vehicle, and you would use a chart, celestial navigation, or GPS.

If you were running a marathon you would provide the energy and you would need to fuel your body accordingly, you would be the vehicle, and the route would be mapped for you.

Regardless of where we go in life or how we go, these 3 things are essential.

So then, in going from point A to point B, first you must acknowledge where you currently are, kind of like when you walk into the mall and you see one of those large maps with a marker that reads, "You are here!"

Next, you need to determine where point B is for you. Where do you want to go? It’s pretty hard to get to a specific point if you don’t even know where that point is. This is probably the most difficult part for me personally. With so many options, how does one choose?

It’s like that question you sometimes hear at a job interview, "Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?" This is the only question that ever makes me cringe. I guess it’s because if I answer truthfully, I feel it might jeopardize my getting the job. If I don’t answer truthfully I’m going to feel bad because I’m going against my moral compass.
So I say something that’s totally true, but I don’t get real specific.

The truthful answer would be, "Well I sure don’t see myself working for someone else and taking orders from some corporate butt kisser." OK, I think that was a bit harsh!
At any rate, the answer I would probably give would be something like, "I see myself as being very successful and achieving all of my goals." This way I’m telling the truth, I’m just not elaborating on the details.

In order to develop a plan, you need to determine where you want to go. For some people, they just know where they want to go and they’ve known since childhood. For the rest of us, it takes some serious thought.

Because there are a lot of things I enjoy and a reasonable amount of things I do fairly well, it makes the process of choosing the vehicle a little more difficult. Yes, having lots of options can sometimes slow us down because we don’t know where to begin.

In choosing your vehicle you need to ask yourself three things:

1. What do I love doing or would love to learn?
2. What are my natural abilities or what am I good at?
3. Is this a viable choice and is there a demand for this in today’s economy?
4. Will your choice enable you to reach your destination?

The Vehicle. Now that you have chosen a career path or occupation, this can be the represent the "vehicle" part of the equation.

The Map. Once you have a vehicle you need to determine how you can use it to arrive at your destination. Is your vehicle going to be a Volkswagen or a Lear Jet? You need to determine how far you want to go to and make sure that your vehicle will get you there.

The Energy. Simply ask yourself "why" you want to get to point B. What does getting there mean to you? The "why" is your motivation or "energy", the fuel that will propel you forwards.

Of course, life is much more than a destination, I see it as a journey with a lot of lessons along the way. While it would certainly be efficient if we could go in a straight line from point A to point B, this is seldom the case. Sometimes, there are detours and unexpected layovers and besides it’s just more exciting when you have a few challenges along the way. The point is that once you determine what your "B" is, getting the map and the energy should be a piece of cake!

We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities.

This is a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson and I find it to be both insightful and accurate.

My husband and I took a sailing course a few years back.  We spent a week aboard a 37’ cutter-rigged sloop.  There we learned the basics of sailing as well as a few of the finer points.  Learning to sail reveals a great deal about one’s character, as sailing requires skill, knowledge, teamwork, self-sufficiency and the ability to remain calm in a crisis.  Preparation is an absolute necessity when sailing and navigation is a part of this, which brings us back to by Mr. Emerson.

If you are planning a trip by sea, you need to chart your course.  To do so, you need a navigational chart with a compass rose and a parallel ruler.  You begin by plotting a chart line on the chart.  You then place your parallel ruler so that one part lies along the plotted line and the other part lies over the compass rose on the chart.  This indicates the compass heading you will need to follow to reach your destination.  The chart also shows you things you will need to be aware of such as shallow water, shipwrecks, obstructions, buoys, and channel markers.  Now that you know the course you’ll be following and where some potential obstacles might be, you can begin your journey.  You simply need to use the boat’s compass to keep you on course.

Good sailors never begin a journey without the proper navigational tools.  They need a chart, a compass, a GPS, a sextant for celestial navigation, or any combination of the above.

Are you sailing out on a voyage of discovery and opportunities, or are you sailing around in circles?  If you’re on a journey with no real direction, perhaps it’s because you haven’t taken the time to chart your course.  Begin thinking about the where you want to go in life and what is required to get there.  Make sure you have all the tools you need to begin your journey.

Keep in mind, just as a sailboat doesn’t travel in a straight line, neither will you.  Since a sailboat uses its sails and wind power, it must tack back and forth constantly veering off and back on course.  Storms can arise which might require a temporary change of plans.
You may also experience unforeseen circumstances in your life but the thing to remember is that you can always get back on course.  This isn’t a race, it’s a journey.

The great thing is that your world is full of opportunities just waiting to be discovered.   If you take the time to chart a course and make corrections when necessary, you can enjoy a magical journey that can take you anywhere imaginable.