Are You Wandering in the Waste?
Last week, I mistakenly took a side trail.
The main path to my destination had been getting difficult. The terrain was rocky and uphill. A side trial offered relief. It appeared lush and promising. Plus, I wanted to avoid climbing the mountain for just a moment.
I took the path with enthusiasm, but the further I walked down it, the less vegetation grew, and I began to suspect it could be leading me further away from my goal. Rather than turning around, I persisted.
Before long, I found myself in a barren land. The ground was hard and dry, the wind was harsh, and I was lost and thirsty. I realized that I was in the Waste.
The Waste is a barren desert that stretches on and on. Here, not much flourishes or even survives; a few brown grasses jut out of cracks. It is impossible to imagine staying in such a place for very long.
I sat down on a boulder to pause and reflect.
I realized I ended up there because I lost sight of the actions I needed to be doing to reach my goal. I went on a tangent that seemed productive. However, it just got me further off-track.
And so, after consulting my inner compass, I turned around and went back to the main trail.
What is the Waste?
On your personal journey, the Waste is a time when you are spinning your wheels and not making progress. You may have momentarily lost your direction or tried something that turned out to be fruitless.
You may be in the Waste when…
You are feeling aimless in life
You lose sight of your goal
Or maybe you don’t have a goal
Or you have a goal but have no idea how to get there
You spend your time on busy work or tangents
You lose faith in your abilities and the process
The journey feels hard, so you procrastinate and look for distractions
You get side-tracked from your real work for any reason
Know that it is normal to spend time here, especially at the beginning of your journey, when you are still figuring out what you are doing. Everyone gets off-track from time to time; it is unavoidable.
If you don’t experience any hardship on your journey, your goal is likely too easy for you. So if you find yourself in the Waste, do not be too hard on yourself, because it is a sign that you are experiencing personal growth.
But when you see signs that what you are doing is not working, it is important to pay attention to those signs, rather than stubbornly continuing.
How to get out of the Waste
Accept that you have lost your way and likely need to turn around
Remember the last thing you were doing that was really working, and trace your steps back to that path
Let go of any feelings of guilt or shame
Every day, do at least one small thing to get closer to your destination
You will know you are out of the Waste when your actions are aligning more clearly with your goals. You will see concrete evidence that what you are doing is working.
How to spend less time in the Waste
Clarify what your destination is and what steps you need to do to get there
Create quarterly or monthly milestones along your journey that will help you see if you are on the right track
Plan out what you will do each week to make the most progress towards your destination
Check-in often to reflect on your progress
Keep it simple and avoid overcomplicating your journey
The more time you spend gaining clarity about your journey, the more you’ll stay on the right trail.
Be sure to read my post on choosing your destination that goes into more specifics about how to set a goal for your personal journey.