We arrive. Perhaps it’s for a meeting at an office building we’ve never visited before. We circle the neighborhood to find a parking space. Or we’re traveling again to a favorite city such as New York and Paris. This time we’ll use the subway aka Metro. Maybe it’s a brand new destination. We’ll rely on Google maps. Hey, wait …where are we again? We’ve gone from point A to B without understanding the bigger picture. Sound familiar?
How we land affects what happens next. Prepping ahead paves the way to a smooth arrival and extraordinary experience. Here are some ways to get ready!
- Before you leave, be clear about what’s most important to you. How do you want to show up? When you finally land in the airline seat or the boardroom chair, feeling the fabric and or “Hands on the Chair”* remind yourself beforethe meeting or journey begins about your values for the experience. What’s your intention? Ask others in the room and or traveling with you what they envision as well. Feeling heard and understood will create positive momentum for everyone’s experience.
Whether it’s talking with your team or travel agent, imagine how you want things to unfold. Envisioning what we’re hoping creates a natural cascading progression of “next” activities different from past paradigms. With a clear vision we ask the right questions. We pack correctly. We “roll with the punches”. Travel delays are just that…travel delays and nothing more. When clear on our intention, we trust, take action and then can let things unfold.
- Look at a map. Understand the location and acquaint yourself with the layout. As much as we might use our phone, discerning the bigger picture roots us in a place. It helps us understand where we are literally, that tiny tiny dot on the map of the world, garnering perspective. Also when planning an agenda or tourist activities we can determine the best geographic flow of activities and not waste time on additional commuting between places. This especially applies when planning a day of sales calls!
- After figuring out the bigger picture determine your desired “points of interest.” Reaching the top of the Eiffel Tower is a “Must Do” activity, for example, followed by a neighborhood tour in the Marais, big to small. The same can be said about a meeting agenda. Determine the big picture and then dig into the “How to” details.
We need to take responsibility for ourselves. Even when hiring a tour guide, we’ll see more when we’ve planned and learned before the outing. Where are you? Who are you showing up as? What are people doing around you? It’s like a math problem as a young child: if you’re still figuring out the math facts, you’ll miss the great opportunity to glean the concept. When we’ve done a little internal and external reconnaissance, thoughtful experiences will ensue.
* Search Inside Yourself Practice
