One day, not that long ago, two friends decided to go on a mountain trip to “Make-A-Difference” land. It was a far, far away land, almost close to the top of a mountain. They both knew they wanted to get there, although none of them quite knew how to do that. You will understand in a minute why, when I tell you more about who they were.
Let’s not prolong the waiting anymore and let me introduce them to you: he was I-am-not-good-enough and she was It-never-matters-how-I-feel. Yup. I know. It takes one to know one. There is a reason this phrase has been invented and they both seem to be part of it.
Truth to be told, they were friends for a long time now and they passed through a lot of journeys, sometimes together, sometimes by themselves. And I guess this could be a good moment to share with you just a few of these journeys: crossing the “Survival” dessert, then planting and growing the “Relationship” vineyard, then pausing for a while and enjoying the “Self-esteem” playground, learning a lot through the “Transformation” jungle, until reaching today’s story’s spot, the “Find-Your-Meaning” land.
It was that very spot when realising they have gained a lot of experiences, found their passions on the way and grew a lot together, but still wanting to live their purpose, this being the reason they decided to climb the mountain up to the “Make-A-Difference” land.
…And you will see, sometimes we need more than one journey to be ready to take the next one.
As always, they talked a lot on their trips. And this is just a glimpse into their dialogue that day, the very moment they reached a crossroad.
I-am-not-good-enough: “I know I want to go to “Make-a-Difference” land, but I have never done that before and I just don’t know what’s the right path I need to take to get there. It’s like I cannot move forward.”
It-never-matters-how-I-feel: “I feel so alone in this. No matter how much I try, it’s like no one is supporting me in this. And you as well. You are only talking about the correct way to do this trip.”
…It seems this was not their best day. Let’s hear along.
I-am-not-good-enough: “Maybe you are right. It seems I am not good enough to make a difference for others.”
It-never-matters-how-I-feel: “See? I’ve just told you I need support to take this trip forward and the only thing you care about is being right about the road we need to take. It never matters how I feel.”
This dialogue continued because mountain trips have this ability to create a lot of space for back-and-forth dialogues. But besides that, along with space, something else happened.
I know you expect a wise old someone to appear now, as every good story has one, but in this story, a thick fog appeared instead, out of nowhere, as usually fog has the habit to appear when people try to mind their businesses and climb some mountains. What was special about this fog was that it smelled and felt like Doubt. So, let’s hear along because it seems that Doubt had a voice too.
Doubt: “Imagine you are right at the beginning of building that vineyard again. What are those small steps you did then and can do now as well? What’s the simplest twist you can make today to be able to move forward?”
…Two questions in a row. Let’s give them some space to answer.
The dialogue continued, but none of the two knew they were not talking to each other anymore, as they did not seem to be the same ones they were a few minutes before.
I-am-not-good-enough: “You are right. I might not be good enough, but I-am-getting-better as what I do matters to me and now, I want it to matter to others too. And you know… you can always count on me.”
It-never-matters-how-I-feel: “Although sometimes you don’t know how to show me that it matters how I feel, I know I have a lot to offer to others and just like growing that vineyard, I-trust-we-are-in-this-together.”
The Doubt cleared the way and disappeared. Some say the two friends changed from that day on and they even called each other differently: I-am-getting-better and I-trust-we-are-in-this-together.
Others might even say that the two friends were two strong, well…initially quite stubborn beliefs that might belong to me or you and anyone else that decided to start a journey in any of the lands belonging to the “World of Values”. We take these journeys in our everyday life, sometimes without even knowing it. And yes, Make-A-Difference land is just a part of it, as all the rest are.
What about the Doubt and those questions? Where did they come from? A wise someone would say the whole story was just a coaching process, for me or you or anyone else, but since I have already told you no one invited a wise someone in this story… well, at least not until a few minutes ago… will let you decide. After all, it’s your journey too, right?