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Getting Your Bearings

Like all good adventures, preparing to Escape Mediocrity takes a little (notice I said a LITTLE) preparation so that the journey actually leads somewhere meaningful.

One of the most critical orienteering skills I ever learned was to get my bearings  – especially if I was about to head out into someplace I’d never been before.

So, I learned to take a deep breath and look around me. I learned to notice details – which way the wind was blowing, where the sun was, how long the shadows were, in addition to the landmarks like buildings or trees. I’d look at a map or a chart and figure out where I was in relation to it.  All these things grounded me in EXACTLY where I was.

Once I was very clear on where I WAS, I could then set my compass and set my course for where I wanted to GO.

So what does my hiking lesson have to do with Escaping Mediocrity?

We need to get our bearings. That means taking a good hard look around at reality and acknowledging it for what it is – reality. Noticing the details of who we are and the people, places and things in our lives – and accepting them. 

There was a time in my life when I refused to do this. I preferred the ostrich approach thinking that if I stuck my head in the sand and didn’t acknowledge it, that would help. Thankfully, I’m older and wiser now.

Here’s what I know about accepting reality and getting my bearings: Accepting reality doesn’t mean I have to embrace it or even like it; it just means I acknowledge it and I don’t fight with it anymore. AND I get critical information by taking in exactly where I AM – information that will actually help me get where I want to GO.

So here’s my Escaping Mediocrity Challenge for you today: plant your feet firmly in reality, take a good look around, acknowledge and accept what is.

Congratulations – you’ve got your bearings. Ready to set your compass and strike out on adventure? Me too!

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 at 1:17 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • http://twitter.com/justinsking Justin S King

    I’m spending the day getting my bearings. So I may be on your site a few times today. :)

  • http://twitter.com/justinsking Justin S King

    I’m spending the day getting my bearings. So I may be on your site a few times today. :)

  • http://twitter.com/justinsking Justin S King

    I’m spending the day getting my bearings. So I may be on your site a few times today. :)

  • http://www.helenherman.com/ Helen

    Love it, Sarah. Denying where you are is a form of resistance – and whatever you persist only resists and grows stronger. By including and acknowledging your current circumstances, you open the door to transforming them!

  • http://www.helenherman.com/ Helen

    Love it, Sarah. Denying where you are is a form of resistance – and whatever you persist only resists and grows stronger. By including and acknowledging your current circumstances, you open the door to transforming them!

  • http://www.helenherman.com Helen

    Love it, Sarah. Denying where you are is a form of resistance – and whatever you persist only resists and grows stronger. By including and acknowledging your current circumstances, you open the door to transforming them!

  • http://www.armentdietrich.com/ Gini Dietrich

    I planted my feet, I took a good look around…and dang! I have a sweet life with amazing friends like YOU!

  • http://www.armentdietrich.com/ Gini Dietrich

    I planted my feet, I took a good look around…and dang! I have a sweet life with amazing friends like YOU!

  • http://www.armentdietrich.com Gini Dietrich

    I planted my feet, I took a good look around…and dang! I have a sweet life with amazing friends like YOU!

  • http://twitter.com/visionseekers AVI

    Great article! I’ve been thinking about a few similar ideas but this brought it all home. thanks :)

  • http://twitter.com/visionseekers AVI

    Great article! I’ve been thinking about a few similar ideas but this brought it all home. thanks :)

  • http://twitter.com/visionseekers AVI

    Great article! I’ve been thinking about a few similar ideas but this brought it all home. thanks :)

  • http://mediligence.com/ Patrick Driscoll

    I have a tendency to think about bearings from not only the cardinal points (N,E,S,W) perspective but also from altitude. The mistake you can make is to see the world only from an altitude of about 10 feet (what you see when you look around). You need to occasionally get to 30,000 feet — take a trip (even out of the country if possible) or at least look at where you are from a completely different perspective. Writers with writers-block know that sometimes the solution is to temporarily change your perspective; play a game of ping-pong or take a walk or do a crossword puzzle. In a way, it can be distilled down to the cliche of “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone”. So, getting your bearings sometimes demands you go away and come back. You’ll frequently see a lot that you were missing.

  • http://mediligence.com/ Patrick Driscoll

    I have a tendency to think about bearings from not only the cardinal points (N,E,S,W) perspective but also from altitude. The mistake you can make is to see the world only from an altitude of about 10 feet (what you see when you look around). You need to occasionally get to 30,000 feet — take a trip (even out of the country if possible) or at least look at where you are from a completely different perspective. Writers with writers-block know that sometimes the solution is to temporarily change your perspective; play a game of ping-pong or take a walk or do a crossword puzzle. In a way, it can be distilled down to the cliche of “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone”. So, getting your bearings sometimes demands you go away and come back. You’ll frequently see a lot that you were missing.

  • http://mediligence.com Patrick Driscoll

    I have a tendency to think about bearings from not only the cardinal points (N,E,S,W) perspective but also from altitude. The mistake you can make is to see the world only from an altitude of about 10 feet (what you see when you look around). You need to occasionally get to 30,000 feet — take a trip (even out of the country if possible) or at least look at where you are from a completely different perspective. Writers with writers-block know that sometimes the solution is to temporarily change your perspective; play a game of ping-pong or take a walk or do a crossword puzzle. In a way, it can be distilled down to the cliche of “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone”. So, getting your bearings sometimes demands you go away and come back. You’ll frequently see a lot that you were missing.