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A few weeks ago, I decided to go for a run at Forest Park in St. Louis. I had been sitting all day and it was time for my body to be in motion. I arrived at the park and made a spur-of-the-moment decision: I chose a path I hadn’t taken before. I could tell from looking at the map that it was about a six-mile loop and that sounded great.

As I made my way down this new path, I found myself stopping at every intersection to check the “you are here” map to confirm that I was where I thought I should be. Each time I stopped I could hear the negative voices in my head: Are you sure you know where you are? You should check again. What if you took a wrong turn? What if you are going in the wrong direction?

With each passing mile I realized that I was struggling. I was concerned about the fact that I hadn’t been down this path before. As a result, I stopped to check a lot of maps. I also knew that the stress of the unknown was taking a toll on my body as I ran slower than my usual pace. My mind was focused on the possibility of failure. The fear of not getting to my destination was literally slowing me down.

By the time I returned to my car I had taken over a corner of the “feelings wheel.” I was frustrated with how long the run took. I was angry that what should have been a positive experience was a negative one. I was disappointed that I had wasted my energy focusing on the wrong things. I was tired and mad at myself for even taking a new path. I let myself down because I spent more time worrying than enjoying the run.

Two days later I returned to the scene of the crime to attempt this path again. I wanted to try and create a new memory for myself. This time was different. I knew where I was going, which meant I was moving much faster. I felt confident. I was relaxed and I focused on the right things. Amazing how that works. Things are smoother when you know the way.

In leadership, sometimes our job is to help people move from where they are to where they want to be. In order to do this, we may have to go out alone and chart a new course, get a lay of the land, and then return to our people with a clear plan.

Our collective humanity is hungry for leaders who will leave the safety of the group and walk an unknown path alone. Those who are willing to do this work without a crowd cheering them on, the ones who grab a machete and create a safe path through the jungle of the unknown, their hands bloodied, and their feet covered in blisters, they are the ones worth following. They sacrifice their own comfort to ensure the safety and success of others. We are looking for leaders who will go alone and then return to the group saying, “I found a way, follow me.” Our willingness and courage to find a path is a gift we give to those we lead.

But sometimes this call to go on a journey is much more personal; it’s not asking you to lead others, it’s asking you to lead yourself. It starts as a whisper, barely audible, telling you to move into the unknown, alone. This is a voice to which I have learned to pay close attention. When it speaks, I stop. I listen.

The first time I responded to this voice it was a stressful experience, I moved slowly, I felt every emotion, my heart raced, I questioned everything, it felt like I was running on a new path for the first time. But the truth is I was just running away from the voice that was within me.

However, over time I have developed the confidence to trust this voice. I worry less about where I am, and I focus more on where I am headed. Now, I simply listen and go. For me, it is a call to be in motion. Each time, while the path may be new, I quickly realize that I have in fact been down this road—that of the unknown—many times before. The voice that once felt like an uninvited stranger now feels like a trusted traveling companion.

Maybe you are sensing it is time for you to journey out on your own, to carve a new path for yourself. Maybe it isn’t a group you need to lead but instead, you need to lead yourself from where you are to where you want to be. This is leadership and you are your own leader, a leader worth following.

Whether it is a call to lead others or to lead yourself, know that there are some journeys you must take alone. Don’t wait for the fear to subside; the fear may always be present. Put one foot in front of the other, be in motion, and know that when you arrive at the various “you are here” maps along the way, you can decide what you want to move towards next. This is a gift we give ourselves. In time you will discover that the journey isn’t the path you are on, the journey is learning to trust your inner voice.

You are here … where do you want to be?

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