There’s a sign that I walk past 2-3 times a week, sometimes more. “Road closed ahead.” Before this year, this battered old sign in the woods would have held little meaning for me. With its missing letters, it would have been forgettable. But, as we all know, 2020 has been unforgettable – and those words took on a different meaning this year.
Shelter-in-place, closed-for-business, virtual-this, and hybrid-that… We’ve each had roads that closed for us in 2020. More than once, I caught myself becoming discouraged by the whole thing. My emotions shifted daily. Sometimes I was angry. Mostly I was optimistic. Occasionally I was fearful. Many days I was upbeat. Somedays I was just numb to it all. And then I noticed something that had been there the whole time – something that dramatically shifted my mindset.
That “road closed ahead” sign is nothing but a liar.
If you walk past that sign I’m talking about, just fifty feet beyond where it stands, two concrete barricades prevent you from driving any further. Those barricades are there to block your way and keep you from traveling onward. Imposing red and white striped panels deliver a clear message: Stop.
Look a little closer, though, and between those two barriers is a smaller path that continues deeper into the woods. The road’s not actually closed, even though the sign says it is. If you’re willing to get out of your car and walk, the path goes on – you just have to change your mode of transportation to go deeper. You have to ditch the wheels and get moving on foot. The car is fast and easy to drive – walking takes more effort, but allows you to go where the car can’t.
There’s a quote from Marshall Goldsmith, “What got us here won’t get us there.” That seems very fitting as I sit and write this.
I know that some of you who follow me here are in a tough place right now, and that hearing “you just have to change your mode of transportation” might seem like a slap in the face. “It’s not that easy, John. It’s harder than that. You have no idea what I’m going through.” You’re right, and if this message feels like a slap, I’m sorry. That’s not my intent.
I need you to know, though, that staying stuck or staring at that “road closed” sign too long is not an option.
Whatever you’re facing right now, stopping for too long is dangerous. There’s another saying by Publilius Syrus worth remembering, “A rolling stone gathers no moss.” Do what you need to do, grieve what you need to grieve, but keep moving. Don’t stand still too long staring at that sign or listening to the liar inside.
No matter what your situation is, keep going. The path ahead might look closed, but that may just be a signal you need to change your mode of transportation. I’ve talked to so many of you in the past months who have done just that.
- Schools closed and kitchens became classrooms… and you kept going.
- Relationships closed for some of you… and you kept going.
- The ways you connect with family and friends closed… and you kept going.
- Some of you got sick and for a moment life closed… and you kept going.
- You found some of your businesses closed… and you kept going.
- Some of you found your careers closed… and you kept going.
You kept going! You got out of your car and started to travel on foot. You did things that were uncomfortable and sometimes scary. Some of you have had to wait patiently for someone else to reopen the road for you, and others have had to cut through the woods where there was no path before. Some of you had to backtrack a little bit (or a lotta bit!) to keep going forward.
Whatever this looks like for you, I am begging you… Don’t stare at that sign for too long, don’t listen to the liar, and please don’t stop! Keep going.
The Takeaway
As we say goodbye to 2020 and hello to 2021, make that your mantra. Keep going. There will be more “road closed” signs ahead. They’ve always been there – 2020 just felt like it had so many more of them. 2021 may bring more of them, but remember the lessons we learned this past year. Get out of the car, shed the wheels, and start walking. Do not stop!
All through this year, I’ll be sharing insights and encouragement like this to help all of us along the way. Subscribe here and stay connected with a steady flow of positivity for this new year!
– John
P.S. If you haven’t already set your goals for 2021, here’s a powerful goal setting tool to help you:
