Sheep Do Not Start Out Lost

Have you ever thought about how sheep get lost? Even with a shepherd, they still get lost. How does this happen? The one thing I know for sure is that they did not start out lost.

The issue for sheep is their ability to stay focused. They see a nice patch of grass and think, "Mmm, this looks nice, maybe I'll have a little taste." They finish the bit of grass and without looking up, they move and continue grazing. They nibble a little here, then a little there. They take a few steps and nibble a little more. Before they realize it, they are lost. Sheep made a series of small choices that led them away from the flock.

The same holds true for people. People don't start out lost, they end up lost. Throughout the course of our daily lives, temptations to nibble and move away from the flock are everywhere. Opportunities to get lost are around every corner. People end up like the sheep - lost.

It is easy to lose your sense of direction and fail to see where you are going. Then before you know it, you look up and ask yourself, "Where am I and how did I end up here?" How can you avoid being lost?

Keep focused on where you are going. Would you set out on a trip without knowing where you are headed? It is easy to get lost if you fail to establish a destination. Set priorities and goals for your life and keep them in focus. Look to these to help keep you on track. Use your priorities and goals as a map to ensure you are moving in the right direction.

Don't be greedy. Every patch of grass will appear more lush and better than you have ever tasted. For example, people often become lost when they covet the possessions of others; a bigger house, more expensive clothes or extravagant things. They overextend themselves trying to keep up with the Jones's. Before they know it, they are lost in a financial wilderness. Establish boundaries for yourself and know when to say when. Take stock every day of what you have and be thankful.

Be disciplined. Becoming lost is sometimes a daily occurrence with sheep. They lack the mental capacity to stay on track. They constantly need their shepherd to keep them from getting lost. For people it takes personal discipline. Everyday you will face opportunities to stay on track or stray from the path. Will you hold to your exercise commitment? Will you operate within your budget or will you overspend? Will you stay the course? Be disciplined and make wise choices.

Stay close to your shepherd. It is easy to become lost while following others. Putting your trust in the wrong people can lead you astray. Inappropriate relationships can blur your focus. On the other hand, you must nurture positive relationships. Surround yourself with family and friends that support you and hold you accountable. In the event that you do begin to become lost, ask someone you trust for directions.

Live with confidence. Becoming lost is easier when you lose confidence in yourself; when you doubt yourself and your abilities. You can "self-talk" yourself into difficult places. It is during these times that you will make poor decisions. Be confident and proud of yourself. When you are down, pick yourself up and make good decisions, even when they are not easy.

Getting lost usually is not the product of a single wrong turn, but a series of wrong turns. If you begin to get lost, make corrections as soon as you can. Do not be afraid to ask for directions and start to turn back. Do not let your pride get in the way of your better judgment. Don't be like sheep; make it a priority to stay focused, stay on track, be disciplined and live with confidence.

Copyright Anthony Mullins
Elite Coaching Alliance 2005

Anthony Mullins is the President and Life Coach for The Elite Coaching Alliance. He specializes in personal, leadership, marriage, relationship and family, christian based coaching. He is the author of the upcoming e-book "Finding Fulfillment in and Unfulfilling World". He can be contacted by phone at 770.587.3545 or by visiting his website http://www.elitecoachingalliance.com

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Coaching Information:

Related Articles

7 Steps to Take Control of Your Life
Taking control of your life is getting in touch with your values, setting meaningful goals and identifying your vision. To be in control of where life is taking you means being more productive, dealing more effectively with stress, having the ability to solve problems, handing change and developing healthy optimism.
THE Step to Working Smarter (Japanese Style)
Remember that Coke contest from the 80s? If you collected bottle tops that had the letters to spell T-H-E R-E-A-L T-H-I-N-G, then youd win a zillion dollars.Im not sure where the drink industry turned the corner but contests and advertisements are no longer all you will find on the underneath side of bottle caps.
Permission To Have FUN
? Have you been working long hours? ? Have you been managing 10 (or more) tasks at once?? Are you combining several different personal and professional roles?99% of my clients are experts at managing lifestyles similar to those above and this issue is dedicated to all of you.Your reward for managing your lives so well is permission to have some FUN.
Difficult Challenges? -- What If?
Sometimes life can seem like one long series of unsolvable problems. I know there have been times when I would much rather find something else to do and quit whatever I was doing simply because it was too much trouble to continue.
The Incredible Human Psyche
The intriguing Human psyche - more complex than the metamorphosing cocoon, and more phenomenal than the human brain could ever imagine.Deep within the realm of your subconscious is the centrifuge, or cerebral core of all Human possibilities.
Burn-Out ...Whats Next?
If you feel the heat of burn-out, it is possible to stop the fire before it stops you. Burn-out burns out confidence trust hope Burn-out can burn up your job your marriage your friendships There is a simple strategy for helping yourself prevent burn-out, especially if you are a person with more responsibilities than choices.
Making Changes in Your Personal Life
Making changes in your personal life can be a tough process. Change starts with a thought.
Hows Your Self-Talk?
You know, what are you saying to yourself? There's always something going on in there. Do you make positive statements about yourself to yourself or are you beating yourself up with your own words?"Know thyself" is a statement that comes to mind.
After July 8, Pay This Amount
You undoubtedly go through this, too. A few times a month you gather up the bills coming due and write checks or pay them online.
The Difference Between Approval and Appreciation
Having worked with individuals, couples, families and business partners for 35 years, helping them learn to resolve conflict, I have often been faced with the difficulties that occur when people are confused about the difference between approval with appreciation. Have you ever wondered about the difference between approval and appreciation? Most of us have never actually thought about it, yet if we do think about it, we realize that we feel very differently when we receive approval as opposed to receiving appreciation.
Action NOT Reaction
Do you feel you are in charge of your life do you really believe that you control your destiny? Or you are of those people who feel manipulated all the time, they are doing things and they don't know, why? Do you have the sense that you are a wooden puppet that someone else pulls the strings?I have an answer for you.Psychologists have proven that human decisions are based on emotions, and once an emotional decision is made they use their logical part of the brain to justify that decision.
The Harvest: Shared Power
The fall harvest comes upon us once a year. The farmers collect the sometimes-scant rewards of their heroic efforts begun months before.
3 Keys to Making Small Talk Easy to Do
Small talk used to be really hard work for me. I never knew what to say and I always worried about saying the wrong thing.
Why Pacing and Leading is for Wimps!
Okay, you have read some books on body language and they all said you must mirror and match, pace and lead..
We Are Exactly Where We Choose to Be
The idea for this month's newsletter came from an unlikely encounter: I recently had lunch with a new friend named Rick Rockwell. You may remember him as the bachelor from the first-ever reality TV show, "Who Wants to Marry a Multimillionaire?"During our meeting, Rick described some of the knowledge he gained from doing the show, along with a few of past his experiences in business, ethics, and of course, primetime romance.
Its Game Time! Four Powerful Lessons in the Game of Life
I turned 29 last week, and if statistics are right and I die on or around my 78th birthday, I am almost 40% done. In a numbers game, that is pretty close to half way.
Do You See Clearly?
"I don't see how I can just make up my mind to be happy and successful; and suddenly, magically, I will be. That seems to me to be a denial of my reality.
Truth About Life Coaching School Accreditation
With life coaching becoming "the" career choice in this millennium, many of you are seeking the right choice for training and certification. Hopefully this article will answer some of your questions.
Do You Mind If Someone Screams At You?
A headhunter was on the other end of the phone. He was looking for an assistant to a CEO/Owner for a small, but very successful business.
Think Twice Before Youre Nice
A few months back I had a disturbing dream. In my dream a woman with stringy blonde hair rang my bell.