What Direction Are You Going In?
The ‘River of Life’ is a metaphor that I've been thinking about recently for myself and something I’ve been discussing with my clients.
When you're sitting on your raft, heading down the River of Life, you have two basic options.
The first is to pick up your oars and paddle to control your direction. You might paddle slowly or you might stand up and paddle furiously. You're controlling the raft and steering yourself in your chosen direction and at your chosen pace.
The second is to sit back, maybe even place your hands behind your head and just see where the current takes you. I call this doing a ‘Huck Finn’ after the great American literary character best known for his long days spent on the Mississippi River.
In my career, there have been times when I’ve paddled furiously, with real purpose and motivation and I’ve achieved my goals. When you know what you want and you have the resources to get it, you can pick up those oars and go for it. It can be the best feeling to work hard for something and finally see it come to fruition; to end up in exactly the right destination.
However, when you pick up those oars, you need to be aware of the risks. Sometimes, if you paddle too hard and for too long, you can get really tired and eventually burnout. You can also get so busy paddling with your head down, that when you finally look up, you realise that you’re not where you want to be. You ask yourself - how did I end up here? You’re in unfamiliar territory and you’ve lost your way.
Sometimes, you have to give yourself permission to put the oars down and take a break from paddling. You have to give yourself a break. If you have looked after yourself and your raft (in other words, if you have done the hard work) then you’re not going to sink. You’ll be just fine. You can take a break and see where the current takes you. You might just be surprised!
So my question for you is what do you need to do right now on the River of Life - do you need to paddle and how strongly or do you need to do a ‘Huck Finn’?
You’ll know what feels right for you.
Midja x