GPS Gone Bad

“Are you sure we are headed the right way?” the husband asked his wife. “I told you the GPS never fails! It’s always right!” she responded. They were lost in Omaha and miles away from getting back on track. He reminded her that they were to be headed east and not north. “Just follow the GPS,” she said. “It will get us home.” So together they followed the instructions from the GPS and drove north 20 miles only to rerouted back south to the road they just traveled on. He was frustrated not only at the GPS but with her for trusting the GPS and not his intuition.

When a GPS works correctly it can be a great tool to have. I use them when looking for an unfamiliar address. Friends of mine use them when they fish or are on their ATVs. They are great for hikers and road trips. That’s when they work and 99.9% they work just fine. But what about the .1% when they don’t? I was on a trip up in Minnesota recently and was 40 miles north of Minneapolis. My GPS said to exit off the major road and onto a side road. The signs over the highway were clearly marked “To Minneapolis” the other read “To Saint Paul”. Yet my GPS was telling me to exit off the road and into a little town. I had time to kill so I wanted to see where my GPS would take me.

The detour off the main highway took me 30 minutes out of the way and 12 miles off course. It finally got me back on the main road but it was definitely not a time saver. I learned a valuable lesson that afternoon. I had time to think about my personal GPS – the one inside of me – the one that guides me and keeps me on the road I need to travel. Have you ever thought about your future and how your internal GPS you will get there? Let’s face it, when we plan a trip we look at maps, search the web for good directions and even program a starting address to an ending address. We should put as much thought and preparation into planning our day, week month and year.

My suggestion is this, when your feet hit the floor plan your day before you leave the house. Make sure you have a productive day planned. Where people get into trouble is when they have nothing planned and wait for things to happen. Who guides you? Who controls you? Part of owning and operating a GPS is that you have to input a “go to address”. That could be the start of your day. Have a list of things that must be done that day. Include appointments and people you need to see. Make a point of staying away from anyone who has a negative influence on you. My personal GPS keeps me away from roads that can cause me harm, or take me away from the things I know are right or wrong. Is your personal GPS programmed that way? If not then you better start looking to program your personal GPS to find the right roads to go down.

How does one program their personal GPS if it needs to be recalibrated? I suggest the following:

• Detour The places you shouldn’t be going to. Places that get you into trouble. Places that cause your grief and trouble. Places that bring up bad memories.

• Hazards These are possible events that should make you slow down and think before going full speed ahead. This could include all kinds of unhealthy people from your family, friends or co-workers. If they stress you out, there is a reason to slow down and look at why you feel the way you do about these people.

• Know your starting point and your ending point. Make sure that you know the proper address before entering it into your personal GPS. This includes the place you’ve entered into the GPS, a well known address: meaning person or place. Is it a safe route, one that others have traveled down without danger or fear? Is this person or place good for you or the loved ones in your life?

These are just a few cautions I have laid out for you. Always make sure that your personal GPS keeps you safe along life’s roads. If the trip you’re on in this life is unsafe, then by all means turn around and head back home. Some of the people I know who have no personal GPS are miserable and in trouble. They ask, “How can you be so calm in life’s storms?” It’s pretty simple: Stay the course of your personal GPS. If your intuition tells you something is not right then don’t go down that road! The choice is yours.

Is your personal GPS out of whack? Do you need help in finding the right course for your life? Do you distracted when making personal goals for yourself? Do you get confused when trying to make necessary changes for yourself? If you answered yes to any of these questions call Dr. Mike for an appointment today.

Master Life Coaching, Divorce coaching and counseling is affordable, accessible, anonymous and available by appointment from the privacy of your own home. Avoid travel time and never leave the comfort of your home to meet with me. I have many out-of-state clients who prefer to meet over the phone 303.456.0555 or via Skype (drmike45). The convenience of this type of coaching is the most effective means of Life Coaching for those who live out of the Denver-metro area or are out of the state of Colorado.