The scratching sound overhead startled me. I could only think that the animal scampering on the roof was trying to gain access to attic space in our house. It was not something I wanted to deal with today – or any day, for that matter.
I scanned the ceiling above me as the odd scratching sound continued, and a moment later a bird gazed through the skylight window. Its head darted about as it hopped, its golden beak wagging with a sense of urgency. I sensed a frantic look in its dark eyes, as if it did not know why it came to be on the roof or how to get back to the ground. It was a silly thought about the little bird; obviously it knew how to fly.
It hopped again, and I caught a glimpse of its reddish-orange breast. The roof seemed a strange place for a robin, a species that spends so much of its time foraging for worms on the lawn. Maybe that’s why it had that look in its eyes: it had wandered into uncharted territory and wasn’t quite sure where to go next.
I turned to grab my cellphone to capture a photo, but then the robin was gone. It was an unexpected encounter on a summer morning, yet I couldn’t help but think that the robin was the sign I was looking for. Just the day before, I had asked for some indication that I was on the right path with my life. Maybe this harbinger of spring signals new beginnings for me, I thought.
It wasn’t the first time I had asked for such a sign. In fact, I’ve been asking it a lot in the last year or so as I flit back and forth between projects, trying to gain traction on something that allows me to live my life on purpose. I seem to spend a great deal of time feeling the way that robin looked, frantic to know the right answer and the best next step to take.
But as I thought a bit more about that bird, I realized that just maybe it symbolized something else. That little bird didn’t linger when it realized it wasn’t where it wanted to be. It took a simple action and did what it knew how to do: It flew off the roof.
Too often, we spend so much time spinning in our heads that we ignore the obvious: Nothing we want to do is outside the skills we have or can acquire.
It made me think about what holds back me – or any of us – from living our lives on purpose. Too often, we let self-doubt get in the way. We find excuses for why we can’t take action to propel ourselves forward. We tuck in our wings and refuse to even consider looking over the edge of that roof, let alone fly off it.
But what if we allowed ourselves to take one step toward something we wanted? What if we took one step today in the direction of a goal? Maybe it’s writing a blog post or learning a new social media strategy. Perhaps it’s trying a new healthy recipe or going for a walk around the block. Whatever your goal, there is certain to be one simple step you can take.
And you know that once you take one step, another one can follow. Then another, and another…
In his book, “Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable,” legendary trainer Tim Grover writes: “Don’t think. You already know what you have to do, and you know how to do it. What’s stopping you?”
So, what’s stopping you from moving forward? What one thing can you do today that is a step in the direction of your dreams?
And, if you don’t want to take a step, just hop like that robin. You’ll likely be grateful you did.
An excerpt from Grover’s book is available at his website, AttackAthletes.com.
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