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Episode

The Cheshire Cat

Decide first where you’re going.
https://media.blubrry.com/coaching_for_leaders/media.blubrry.com/davesjournal/content.blubrry.com/davesjournal/dj-2020-02-13.mp3

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My son and I are reading the original Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. This exchange appears in the book:

Alice asked the Cheshire Cat, who was sitting in a tree, “What road do I take?”

The cat asked, “Where do you want to go?”

“I don’t know,” Alice answered.

“Then,” said the cat, “it really doesn’t matter, does it?”

I’m often asked for advice on what to do next in complex situations. The question I find myself asking is:

What’s the outcome you want?

The most common response to that question is:

Hmmmm.

Often followed with, “Good question,” or “I probably should have more clarity on that,” or “I hadn’t thought much about it until this moment.”

Like most animals, we are good at seeing what’s right in front of us. Unlike most animals, we have a capacity to envision a different future.

There’s nothing wrong with walking around aimlessly. In fact, we should all be doing more of it. David Allen, the author of Getting Things Done, says:

Not only do you need to spend time thinking, you need to spend time not thinking – absolutely daydreaming.

So, daydream away.

And then, when the time comes to make an intentional turn, decide first where you’re going. If you do, it’s easier to see which road to take.

Dave's Journal is available by audio on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Stitcher, and Spotify.

Topic Areas:Personal LeadershipStrategy
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Coaching for Leaders Podcast

This Monday show helps you discover leadership wisdom through insightful conversations. Independently produced weekly since 2011, Dave Stachowiak brings perspective from a thriving, global leadership academy of managers, executives, and business owners, plus more than 15 years of leadership at Dale Carnegie.

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