Are You on the Right Path in Life?

The question you see above is one I ask of myself every now and then. It includes follow up questions like, what is my path? Am I on my path or have I veered off course? What, if any, course corrections do I need to make?

I see these questions as part of living an examined life, ensuring I make the most of my precious time here on earth. So not coincidentally, the idea of having a path in life is a topic I’ve touched on many times here at Wake Up Call. Below are links to several related stories should you want to dig a little deeper.

5 Clues to Knowing Your Path in Life

Where Will the Spiritual Path Take You?

The Mayoruna: On Finding Your Path in Life

Does God Have a Plan for Your Life?

Today, I have a compelling new entry in the “life path” category. It comes from Bob Lefsetz who, while primarily known as a music columnist, occasionally veers into other topics including TV, politics and the crazy world we live in today. He also occasionally dispenses life advice.

Lefsetz pulls no punches. You are either on the right path or you’re not—and if you’re not, you’re destined to be unhappy. He fully recognizes following ones’ path is no easy task. But he advises us to keep on our own unique path, lest we wind up with material success, but the soul-deadening sense that we are living a life that is not our own.

The 11-point list below is lightly edited and was pulled from an especially long blog post you can find here. While the original story was aimed at people of all ages, including those just out of school, I’ve tailored the list to apply to people like you and me. Those who have more than a few miles on the path of life and want to be sure they keep moving in the right direction.

11 Tips on Finding and Staying on Your Life Path

1. There will come a time in your life where your significant other, maybe even someone you respect, will burn out on your vision, which may be faltering. You must not do it their way to salve their anxiety. You must do it your way, otherwise you’ll have regrets.

2. What is your way? It’s got to do with feel. Something innate in humans. Trust your inner tuning fork. No matter what anybody says, everybody writes the script of their own life.

3. If you go down the road less taken, some people aren’t going to like it, they’re not going to be supportive. That’s because you’re attempting to be free while they’re stuck in the game, too scared to take a risk.

4. But deep in your heart you know the right path for you. If you’re doing it for others, stop. You must do it for yourself. It may not be easy, but you can put one foot in front of the other and make your way.

5. Your skills are different from another’s. Play to your strengths, which may be different from your initial desires. It takes a while to figure it out, but you can, because you don’t want to have any regrets.

6. But life happens, and you’ll find yourself making commitments and getting off the path. Beware. Just because everybody else is doing it that doesn’t mean you should.

7. And if you do all the above, maybe you’ll wake up in your fifties or sixties or even seventies and it will all come together. Don’t expect kudos. If you can’t pat yourself on the back, you’ll never win.

8. As for money, there’s always someone with more. There’s nothing wrong with money, but just don’t let it overshadow your dream.

9. Bottom line is you don’t want to play the “coulda, shoulda, woulda” game. You don’t want to look back and say if only you took the risk. You want to do your best not to lose what’s important to you.

10. So when you get to the end, you’ll still have regrets. You may lament what you’ve lost or missed. But what you will have is yourself and your mission, and those are enough to keep you company, to keep you whole.

11. Everybody’s adventure is different, and the goal is to get to the end and feel proud that you did it your way. That’s what’s satisfying, that’s what makes life complete.