Life is more interesting when you view your career as a journey not a plan

I’ve always likened entrepreneurial life, and careers in general, as being on a journey.

If we think of a career journey, rather than a career plan, that feels more agile. It opens up possibilities rather than forcing us to stick to a linear path. It means we can follow our curiosity and see where the water flows, rather than stay boxed-in. And it means we can enjoy the view along the way, rather than obsess about reaching the destination as fast as possible.

Personally, I like framing my life and career as a journey because I LOVE A JOURNEY!

I like taking the train to Edinburgh, seated on the right side of the carriage so I get those wonderful coastal views as we pass Berwick. I love to take the Eurostar to Amsterdam, travelling across France and Belgium, those changing landscapes through the window. And I love to take a client - or just myself - on a wander through London’s side streets or along the Thames, getting to know what makes them tick or helping them unearth their story.

A journey suggests growth. Adventure. Movement from A to B. Shifting your mindset and perspective.

This is me 38 years ago on a campsite in Venice, a stop on my 28 day InterRail adventure around Europe. It’s significant as it's the journey that made me. I had just turned eighteen. A journey from childhood to adulthood, a transition to independence where I fell in love with wandering without a plan. Where the highlights were often in the train carriages and railway stations as much as the places where we stopped to pitch a tent.

How about you? What shifts when you start thinking about your career or working life as a journey? What paths open up for you? What can you see on the horizon that you couldn’t see before?