Recently, while out driving, one of the kids pointed out a car that had a huge rear view mirror, probably 12 inches by 4 or 5 inches. We'd never seen one so big. Maybe she needed it to see the kids in the back seat, but it got us thinking about the difference between traveling through life with the rear view mirror in focus, or focused forward through the windshield. Seems much better to go through life looking ahead rather than behind.
One of the books I'm reading, The Slight Edge, by Jeff Olson, says,
"[successful people are] too busy moving toward the future to be staring into the rear view mirror....Review the past, but only for the purpose of making a better plan. Review it, understand and take responsibility for the errors you've made, and use it as a tool to do differently in the future."
It was pretty cool to read that right after we saw such a good object lesson.
Are you living life through the rear view mirror, living by regrets or should have dones or could have beens? Or, are you looking ahead, taking steps and pacing yourself to achieve your goals?
So, as we pull up to an intersection or a crossroads, we glance in the rear view mirror for safety, we check cross-traffic for those moving in other directions around us, then...
Green light, clear road ahead!
I like this picture story. For some reason I've been reflecting too much on past mistakes, missed opportunities the last couple days. Don't seem to get very far when I do that! I like the green light :)
ReplyDeleteI like the green light, too. The guys thought I was nuts when I parked the car and stood on the corner to take the picture. Maybe they are right. But, it's a good visual for moving ahead, proceeding forward, not regretting the past.
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