Many of my proudest accomplishments have come from facing the most challenging situations. I’m a big fan of the book “The Progress Principle,” which suggests that we need to celebrate and learn from our small wins. However, it’s also crucial to be realistic and recognize that if we’re consistently taking one step forward and two steps back on a project (with a cliff behind us), it may be time to call it quits on the project.
We tend to keep our vision into the future when we move forward with something. We’re focused on “foresight.” But, when we’re forced to move backward, we can also move inwards, where the transformation happens. Moving backward offers the gift of introspection and the opportunity for “insight.”
The backward step is meant to be a step away from one’s ego and agenda. It forces a kind of reckoning, and that’s why it’s so helpful to have “enlightened witnesses” there to help you see your insights. More than anything, a backward step requires you to create space to reflect on what’s not working, what needs to be edited, and whether you’re really on the right path. These are not things you can do while running on your treadmill.
Your transformational path is likely to involve moving inward and backward. At MEA, we invite you to join us in exploring this internal journey alongside others, discovering new paths that reveal more possibilities than you ever knew existed. As my father lovingly drilled into my head early in my life, “Keep your options open.”