A few weeks ago, I was coaching someone in the middle of managing difficult projects, and much of the discussion drifted towards milestones and tasks in the months ahead. Big things, small things, and much in between rightly causing worry. Various what-ifs, and what-could-bes. All useful stuff, but projecting many paths into the future only led to more convoluted paths back to the present, many of which might never happen.
Initially I found myself saying the usual things until an image came to mind - we can plan ahead all we want, but doing risky, difficult work is a lot like going for a drive at night.
You have your next destination in mind, but once you set off, all you have is the stretch of road your headlights light up. The best you can do is control your car's immediate path based on what you can actually see front of you. If you try and look beyond the light, you can't see very much, but more importantly, it takes away your focus from what's happening right in front of you. Do that too much, and you could jeopardise the whole endeavour.
So once that destination is set, keep your eyes on the road. Relax the tension in your forearms and hold the steering wheel confidently but lightly. Make small adjustments around the corners, and as ever, watch your speed.
It’s a tricky business driving at night, but if it gets to the point where you can’t see things clearly, pull over, take a break and decide when it’s best to get going again.