Thought for Today - January

The best way to find out whether you're on the right path? Stop looking at the path. André Gide wrote, "A straight path never leads anywhere except to the objective." To know whether you should be turning from the path you're on, you have to be alert to the signs you see along the way. The practice of looking for the strong moments in your everyday experience and tipping your life toward them will serve you immeasurably. Here are some indications that you're moving in a strengthening direction:

• You are engaging your strengths most of the time.
  
• You think about your work outside of work hours, solving problems, considering new approaches.
  
• You feel a sense of contributing to something greater than yourself.
  
• You share your work experiences with the people you care about—speaking about them, writing about them. The stories you tell are filled with positive feelings.
  
• You hunger to learn more about your chosen career and seek out ways to grow—you don't need to be given incentives to learn.
  
• You seek new and creative ways of tackling routine tasks. You have lots of ideas on how to approach your work.
  
• You have the energy and creativity to tackle any setbacks that you're faced with.
  
• No one needs to dangle a carrot in front of your nose to motivate you or inspire you to contribute extra effort.
  
• When you wake in the morning, though you may be tired, you positively anticipate what the day holds for you.
  
  It's a continuous practice finding your strongest life. It takes attention, care, curiosity and fluidity. You will be surprised at times at what you find. You may find moments that lead you in a direction that doesn't fit with the vision that you initially set for yourself. Trust your moments. Stay open to their messages. They are incredible guiding gifts.
  
  — Marcus Buckingham