Beating the trodden path is the default. Attribute it to established practice, the culture fit, our own inertia, all combine surreptitiously to ensure the path most chosen is the path most trodden. The rallying cry ” we have always done in that way “, helps in no measure.
That being said, there’s more than one way to reach your goal. The most obvious path is often the most crowded path—of high enrollment and low possibility– and therefore the most difficult. It’s indeed a very overcrowded space, fueled in large doses by what we call the ‘ herd mentality ‘ and the supposed ‘ wisdom of the crowds ‘. Red Ocean territory. Needless to say, the competition in this concourse is the highest. More on enrollment and possibility in a different blog post here.
It is easier to go where there already is a path forged. But the most rewarding trails are the ones we make for ourselves. The road less travelled. Those are ones we can leave behind for others to follow. It also means we find new places few others haven’t gone before.
Our comfort zones are the domicile where our dreams travel to gather dust. As you take your plunge and that overdue leap of faith, you need to let go of the trapeze and trust that you will find your wings on the way down or find an handle to hang onto. The typical playbook will never encourage to disrupt the status quo. Put that playbook into the bonfire.
So next time you’re facing a crowded path to your goal, step back and ask yourself, “How else can I get there?” Create the paths you want to walk on. You might just discover a journey that’s not only less crowded but also far more fulfilling.
Ready for the ride?