Lessons from Alice in Wonderland by Maureen Price

In Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, there is an interesting exchange with Alice and the Cheshire Cat. Alice has come to a fork in the road and doesn’t know which direction to go. She must choose a path – one way or the other, she is in a quandary. Alice looks up and she sees the Cheshire Cat perched up high in the trees.

Alice: “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
The Cheshire Cat: “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.”
Alice: “I don’t much care where.”
The Cheshire Cat: “Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go.”

Alice finds herself in unfamiliar territory and she is lost. Sound familiar? Anytime we try something new or embark on a new project we can often feel lost.

Alice sought direction from the first person she encountered – where should she go? What should she do? Although she does ask for direction, her first mistake was asking someone she was unfamiliar with. Who is this Cat? Is the Cat familiar with this place? Does the Cat have Alice’s best interest at heart? That would be important information to know before you ask for guidance from anyone.

When asked where she wants to go, Alice says she doesn’t much care. This is Alice’s next mistake. If you don’t know where you want to go, how will you know when you get there? Alice doesn’t have a destination in mind. Just going somewhere else isn’t necessarily better than where you came from or where you are now. As the Cheshire Cat points out, “then it doesn’t much matter which way you go.”

A couple of things come to mind for me. We need to know where we want to end up this year or the year after that. What is it we hope the “next place” will offer? Is it an improved relationship; a thriving marriage? To begin dating a different kind of person? Is it a job you can feel passionate and excitement about? Exploring a new hobby? Taking a trip? Is it financial freedom?

If we want any of those things, they won’t just magically appear like the Cheshire Cat did (though that would be kind of cool :>) ) The truth is, we need to get active and create a plan – a plan means goals. Perhaps consider scheduling a few sessions with a coach to help you navigate this coming year. You could consider asking a knowledgeable and wise friend to carve out a few hours with you to help brainstorm ideas and develop some realistic goals. The point is there isn’t anything more important than investing time into planning for your future.

If we learned nothing else from Alice, it is knowing where you want to end up and getting the right guides to help you get there is essential!

May 2019 be a wonderful, prosperous and happy year!