Be the Moving Man

Even wrong directions can be the right moves

I learned quickly in life that moving in the wrong direction is two, sometimes three times better than not moving at all. Yes. Every time you make the decision to move, chances are, you are moving in the wrong direction, but even wrong directions build a man more than staying in one place.

At certain points in a man’s life, there would be a lack of clarity for the next step. There would be moments when you aren’t sure of what to do next, what you are capable of, where to go, how to get there, who to meet with, or what to do. If you are by any chance feeling something similar right now, you are not alone.

There are days when the fear of the unknown, the fear of uncertainty, or lack of ability cripples and makes us doubt every single thing that we have ever been sure of. These days will happen. These days are happening to so many people, right in this moment even. And again, it is completely fine.

What is not fine, however, is sitting around and waiting to be sure. And that’s the mistake many people make. They sit around waiting to get it right. They get so scared to commit an error that they never do anything. They stay indoors, trying to get it perfect, trying to not only be sure of where to go, but even how to get there, so they wait, and wait, and wait, until it becomes irrelevant for them to move.

Many times, this waiting is disguised as patience, but in truth, it’s just being a slave to fear. Some people also disguise it as perfection, but even that is a myth. What is really keeping a lot of people from moving, what is keeping them hemmed to the familiar, to where they have always been all their lives, is fear of what would happen if they move.

They have these goals and dreams in their heads, and they live in there — they prefer to live in there, in the guise of trying to make things perfect, when in truth, they secretly fear that they won’t achieve those things if they move, or even worse, they fear what would happen, and what would change if they indeed succeed in those dreams.

My advice? No matter what, no matter how you’re feeling, no matter what you think, know, don’t think, or don’t know, always move. Even if you aren’t sure of the direction, still move, while trying to discover if it’s the right or wrong direction. Even if you aren’t sure of how you’ll get to the destination you have set for yourself, still move. Take one step forward. For it is in moving that you become.

When you move, you learn, you develop, you grow, you fail, you learn things that don’t work, and that adds to your knowledge. You pick up gems, dark and golden ones along the way that help you become the person who eventually is capable of seeing the right path and walking in it.

I am sure you have heard the modern proverb by now that says, “A moving man will one day meet his luck. The road favors the traveller.” Nothing is truer than this. My advice is that you be the moving man. Be in motion. Be active. You won’t always be correct, you won’t always hit all the goals, you won’t always be on the right path, but that’s fine. You will be moving, you’ll be learning, you’ll be growing, and there’d be a higher chance of getting it right sooner than later.

There’s likely a 1 in 100 chance you’ll become a smashing success. Would you rather wait for that 1 chance of perfection, or would you rather take up 100 chances in motion? Which would be more likely to make you a resounding success?

“A moving man will one day meet his luck. The road favors the traveller.”

— Modern Day Proverb

A few weeks ago, I was listening to a podcast, and the guest said something that’s stayed with me. He said, “They say one in seven businesses fail. So I started nine.”

Be the Moving Man. Not because the path is clear, not because you’re ready. But because the person you are becoming exists only on the other side of motion. Start. Adjust. Keep going. One day, sooner than you think, you will look back and be grateful you didn’t wait.

To Your Growth,

Your Coach,

Abiola Okunsanya,

Handzinspired