How to Choose the Right Team for the Journey

Be careful to choose others for you journey that understand your unique path and are eager to walk along beside you.

This morning, I set out for my normal walk – or the walk I decided to tackle with my July challenge. I had been walking in the afternoon, but remembered too late why God created air conditioning. Have you ever tried to walk in 900% humidity? I’m pretty sure that was what I did.

So this morning, I determined to get the steps out of the way before the sun had a change to stir up the humidity or temperature.

My dogs were eager to go along for the walk. They enjoy walking with me – although they each do their own thing as we go along. Occasionally the check back in to make sure we are all still going together.

The new cat – dubbed Saber by my youngest because he says the cat looks like a saber tooth tiger – decided to join us for the first time today. I asked if he was sure he wanted to go, but he kept coming along so I guess his answer was yes.

On days when the sun has dried up the fields, I can walk around the perimeter and it will take two laps. Today was not one of those days. The morning monsoon forced me to say on the drive – which means five laps (or four and a half).

Lap one went well. Everyone seemed to enjoy the morning. The cat and the dogs were still not too sure about each other, but they didn’t argue once.

Lap two was still okay. The dogs ran around, the cat meowed loudly but kept up. At the turnaround, the cat flopped to the ground for a moment before running to catch up with us. When we got to the top of the lap, the dogs went up on the porch. After all, on field days we only do two laps. They did not seem overly impressed when I kept going.

Lap three was funny. The cat meowed even louder, almost like he was trying to point out that we had “been there and done that and didn’t we really want to go back to the house.” At the turnaround, the cat even let the dogs come up to him without freaking out. Halfway home, he stopped to climb a tree. I kept looking back and finally saw him making his way back to the house.

Lap four, it was just me and the dogs, and even they didn’t go all the way to the turnaround.

It is nice to have others with us on this journey, but we can’t rely on them to make us do what we need to do. More importantly, we need to make sure we choose the people that will understand and join us in the going even if they are doing their own thing along the way.

Choosing the Right Team for the Journey

1. Do they understand your path? The cat had no clue what he was getting into and he kept looking at me like I had lost my mind. When I am walking a path that is unique to me and for me, I’ll get enough “you aren’t normal” stares from the world. I don’t need my team staring at me in that way.

2. Do they want to be on the journey? The dogs were bouncing with enthusiasm. It makes me smile to see they are excited to go with me. When others are enthusiastic then it bolsters my own hope and encouragement to get going.

3. Do they have something they are working towards as well? The cat was just along for the walk because that was the way we were going. The dogs had something they wanted to do. It seems silly to ask. It seems natural that I would want people on my team that are all about getting me to the next level. The truth is that I am pushed to a better place when I am around people that are moving towards their better place.

4. Do you have to have them with you to get it done? The cat stopped after lap three. The dogs stopped halfway into lap four. But I kept walking. It was nice having them along, but I have determined that I will do it. A good team is a blessing, but they are not the driving force. I have to be determined to do it no matter what or I will let the actions and behaviors of others become my guide.

It is nice to have others cheering us on. It is even more encouraging to have others that dare to join us. I need to choose a team to surround me that is on their own journey to bold purpose, that understand (and accepts) my unique path, and that is eager to go. But ultimately, it is up to me. If I want to get there, then I am the only one that can make it happen.

Be blessed,

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