Clarity Isn't the Finish Line

Navigate Change Framework™

Design Your Change | Part 1

Over the past several weeks, we've been exploring what it means to Discern what's happening beneath the surface and Discover what matters most in a season of transition. Now we begin the next stage of the journey.

Eventually, another question begins to emerge. "Now what?" This is where many people become stuck. They're waiting for complete certainty before taking action. They're hoping for a detailed roadmap before taking the first step. They're afraid of making the wrong decision.

But what if that isn't how God most often leads? I think of Abraham. When God called him, He didn't hand him a detailed itinerary for the years ahead. He simply said,

"Go from your country... to the land I will show you." (Genesis 12:1)

Notice the invitation. Not, "Go to the land I've already explained in detail." But... "…the land I will show you."

Abraham was invited into a journey of trust where purpose would unfold over time. The destination became clearer as Abraham continued walking…and sometimes stumbling… with God.

Perhaps our own transitions are often like that. We long for certainty, but God offers something different: enough clarity for the next faithful step. That's why I believe clarity isn't the finish line. It's the starting line.

The next stage of transition is what I call Design. Design isn't about creating the perfect life plan or predicting exactly how the future will unfold. It's about responding to transition’s invitation with openness, wisdom, and courage.

Instead of asking, "How can I be certain?" we begin asking, "What is the next faithful step?”

That next step might be:

• A conversation you've been postponing.

• An informational interview.

• A coaching conversation.

• A volunteer opportunity.

• A new rhythm or boundary.

• A small experiment that teaches you something you couldn't discover by thinking alone.

None of these require complete certainty. They simply require a willingness to move forward with an open hand and a learning posture.

Design helps us begin living the invitation. Clarity doesn’t always precede action. Sometimes it comes because we were willing to take the next faithful step.

As we begin this new series, my hope is that you'll resist the pressure to figure everything out. Instead, simply ask, "What invitation is God asking me to begin living today?" Because…

Discern helps us recognize the invitation.

Discover helps us understand the invitation.

Design helps us begin living the invitation—with an open hand, a listening heart, and a willingness to learn as we go.

Responding to the Invitation

Rather than trying to solve your entire future this week, simply practice taking one faithful step. Spend a few quiet moments reflecting on these questions:

• What has become clear enough that I can begin acting on it?

• Where am I waiting for certainty when God may simply be inviting me to trust Him with the next step?

• What one conversation, experiment, or opportunity could help me move forward with greater clarity?

Then choose just one. Not because you know exactly where it will lead, but because you're willing to trust God in the journey. Small, faithful steps often become the path God uses to reveal what's next.

-Tim

P.S. If this resonates with where you are today, I'd love to encourage you personally. Designing the next season of your life doesn't require having all the answers. It helps to have a thoughtful companion who can ask good questions, help you notice what God may be stirring, and support you as you take your next faithful step. If that's where you find yourself, I'd be honored to walk alongside you.

Risk, Uncertainty, and Perfectionism

Perfectionism. It tends to demand an unreasonable amount of preparedness, of getting our ducks in a row before stepping into something new. It can paralyze us completely or radically slow us down, especially in big transition seasons. I know because I’ve been there. Ok, I am there!

My most recent transition to full time coaching has held a fair amount of risk and uncertainty. Combine that with a strong desire to get it right the first time...well, you can see where I’m going.

If you have perfectionist tendencies coupled with being in a season of risk and uncertainty, here’s 2 tips to get you unstuck and moving forward...

1.    AVOID OVER-PREPARATION

Perfectionism left unchecked can hinder creativity and discovery. When we’re not feeling ready do something with excellence, we might avoid it altogether by leaning into a thousand other distractions. I’ve been successfully overcoming this pattern by NOT over-preparing and over-thinking certain areas of focus. For example, while I may be tempted to script a podcast conversation, I’ll choose not to. By resisting the urge to over-prepare and stifle creativity, I’m allowing for a more natural, free-flowing conversation.

We can never be fully prepared in uncharted territory. Transition to the new and unfamiliar must leave margin for mistakes and do-overs. The Spirit’s creative work is released into our lives when we acknowledge we don’t have all the answers.

2.    TAKE NOTICE MORE OFTEN

“Trust in and rely confidently on the LORD with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].” - Proverbs 3:5-6 AMP

Cultivating an awareness of Gods presence with us throughout transition seasons is what sustains us through the uncertainty, calming our nerves and giving us courage. A regular practice of pausing and taking notice gets to the heart of what God wants...relationship. It also moves our focus away from perfection and performance. I like how this coach and author puts it....

“I discovered that Jesus was more interested in whether we did things together than if I did things right. And without even focusing on change, I changed—dramatically.” 

- Tony Stoltzfus, The Invitation

Some final thoughts...

The perfectionist in us can go to extremes. We may react by trying to predict possibilities and control outcomes. Or, we might simply stop engaging because it feels too hard to get it right. There’s a better, more balanced approach to navigating change. By avoiding over-preparation and taking notice more often I try to keep myself in the creative discovery zone of transition. What other practices have helped you?

Transition seasons have been called the messy middle. The upheaval is disturbing and unsettling. But don’t let the uncertainty be the only thing you see. Explore the possibilities. Discover the new.

Journey into discovery by scheduling a call with me HERE.

“When a yes is inspired by God’s timing and spoken in submission to God’s will, the servant is guarded and the Giver is glorified.” - Alicia Britt Chole, The Sacred Slow

What's Important Now?

As I share the gift of coaching with the world, rarely does a conversation end without some action toward an established goal. I will have that conversation with my spouse. I will journal at least 3 times this week. I will go to the market twice this week for language learning, even if I don’t need to buy anything. In the world of coaching, meaningful goals and action steps are the product of clarity, of deciding what’s most important -- and why.

When coaching is grounded in faith, the process goes to a whole new level. More than simply establishing goals and checking off to-do lists, it becomes about stewardship -- leading our personal and professional lives well. We do this by deciding what’s most important. We answer the question of Why.  Getting to the why and committing to a subsequent course of action is often a process of discernment and a series of deep conversations, especially during pivotal transition seasons.

As I age and mature, I’m learning that the small, seemingly insignificant choices made on a regular basis hold great impact over time. Those kinds of choices, more than anything, determine where I will end up. They are important! For example, I’m convinced it takes courage to live in obscurity, consistently doing the right thing when no one seems to notice. This is definitely part of answering the call to serve others. To avoid burnout and not lose heart, we need to decide what’s most important and have a strategy to achieve our short and long-term goals…all the while trying to remain flexible.

W.I.N. is a simple but powerful acronym that comes from the famous Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz. It stands for "What’s Important Now?" Holtz instructed his players to ask themselves this question 35 times a day. He wanted them to think about it when they woke up, while they were in class, study hall, the weight room, the practice field, standing on the sidelines during a game and while on the playing field. Holtz wanted his players to be able to learn to focus on what mattered most at any given time.

Reflect for a moment. What do you want to accomplish and by when? How can you reach a desired outcome through consistent and intentional choices? What kind of support do you need along the way? These are all questions that fall under the bigger question of What’s Important Now?  Hidden in these questions lies a treasure trove of answers based on your core values just waiting to be uncovered. But here’s the thing: These are not the type of questions answered by focusing on productivity alone.

My friend and colleague, Teresa McCoy, has a saying, “Forget productivity. Do what matters.” This season of COVID-19 has left many of us struggling to regain some sense of efficiency and productivity. What could it look like to put productivity on pause and prioritize what matters? Could this give you the W.I.N. that you need?  I leave you with this question: What’s Important Now?

I’d love to hear from you. What are you focusing on during this challenging season? What really matters? And why?

One way to focus on the W.I.N. is by working with an experienced coach. Book a discovery call HERE to learn more about life purpose coaching.