Here’s a model of the heart. Your heart … my heart. The central organ of human life. Did you know the heart pumps two thousand; yes, two thousand gallons of blood through our body every day. Twenty main arteries; thirty-four major veins. Each flowing to one destination; the heart. So many pathways. The destination for the arteries and veins is distinct. Clear. It’s critical the destination be reached. Veins and arteries collectively serve one purpose. Reach and fuel the heart.

I’ve been struck recently by the myriad of pathways we have to choose from when trying to get somewhere. A vacation spot for instance. Nancy and I recently drove to Seaside on the Florida Panhandle for a family reunion. There were a number of ways for us to reach our destination. We had a paper map, Google, and Waze. Both reliable satellite guides recommending different routes. Then there was “GPS Nancy.” She declared as we left, “Can’t stand these app things. They’re always wrong!” Welcome to my little, beautiful, blonde GPS. Might have taken an Ouija board! Or even done the “gas station” stop thing. You get my drift. We knew we wanted to get to #8 Canal St. Seaside, FLA. Our destination. Finding the best best pathway to get there? Well, that’s a totally different story. But as you might have guessed it, Miss Nancy was in charge. Somehow she managed get us to the gates at Camp Lejeune! Nice. Back to Google we turned to.

I think about religions. Whether it be Catholicism, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism. Any of the world’s religions. Whether it be Eternity, Heaven, Peace. Whatever is viewed as the ultimate destination. The similarity between final destinations is clear. The pathways vary that take you there. Many …so many.

Then I visualize the tributaries that feed a river. The Mississippi, the Nile, the Amazon. All are fed by tentacle like smaller streams and rivers. Tributaries. Pathways leading to a final destination. The Mississippi, the Gulf of Mexico … the Nile, the Mediterranean, Sea … the Amazon, the Atlantic Ocean. So many different pathways traveling to a known destination.

My experience with those I coach. Many choices. Many pathways to arrive at a given destination. The heart; the religions, and rivers of the world? All have pathways that are “locked in.” There is little or no way to alter their course once embarked upon. (Well, not totally. One could change religious affiliation. But this is infrequent.)

Where am I going with this? Life’s pathways are first birthed in the mind. Invisibly. Personal style; values; a future one envisions? All these nurture awareness of where one might choose to go. There’s an exercise I conduct early in a coaching engagement. “Your Preferred Future.” Pick a time frame. A month; a year; five years. Whatever you choose. Sit back, close your eyes. Envision the person you see, who you’d like to be at the end of the time frame … how would you like to be different from who you are today? Always very revealing; but hard to visualize.

Once envisioned, your decisions guide you on your “journey.” Write your thoughts down. Doing so makes an imprint on your subconscious.  Actually, tells your subconscious what you want it to hear. It will dispassionately, imperceptibly move you along the pathway. Helps you make the changes desired.

Life’s pathway is incremental. Segmented. A series of individual “journeys.” Much more flexible. Nimble. The others are inflexible. Life’s path is invisible. Cannot be determined, created, or seen in one sitting. If one of the pathways to a heart are blocked or impeded, trouble! Heart attack, a stent? Bypass required?. Not good. Stop living your faith? May drift away to something spiritually injurious. Loss of central values focus. Disbelief. Maybe even atheism. Don’t really know. Just believe the outcome will be negative. Block a “pathway” … the tributary of a river? You get a flood.

Choosing a pathway for your life direction? Is never made without realizing you will face dead ends, blockages. The difference here? We can pause. We can redirect our path. Find a better route.

The obstacles that may feel at times feel like dead ends? Repairing family relationships; restarting a new career, rebuilding wealth after financial loss. All these are setbacks or losses that you will overcome or succumb to. It’s up to you to choose how you apply yourself to these challenges.

The awareness that choices we make in life are never immovable. We need not fear a single choice sends us off in a “locked in” voyage. We travel one path. We learn, we assess. We may redirect or decide we’re on the right way.

As I coach, my role is to place myself at key spots along one’s journey and help them make course corrections that might surface. My message? No need to fear where you’re going. Reaching your destination will require strength for the journey. But be confident with faith that your pathway is always navigable … right there in front of you.