The Power of Guidance: To Direct Is Only Half the Service

It is easy to point a finger as to the direction one must take to reach their destination. The challenge is to guide them—which is a step further than directing—for in guidance there is engagement, and your involvement goes past the first interaction.

We all have elements in our lives that occupy our minds, and commitments that occupy our physical bodies. And that is okay too. That is part of our human experience and the journey in life. But it isn’t okay to get involved without staying involved—for your current position is only one section of the entire path.

Imagine setting a wall of rocks to manage a stream. That’s great—you’ve directed it. And yet, right after your wall, the water will go everywhere, reach nowhere, and even worse—damage something further down the path. It isn’t on us to take full responsibility over another's journey. And yet, we can teach and guide at first by showing up and exemplifying what the task at hand looks like, so the flow may progress. So they may take ownership over the process—their process.

So how can one tell the difference between the two?

To direct is to attach their progress to your presence.
To guide is to prepare them for when you are no longer in their spatial presence.

And that is why on the recipient's side, there's a decision to be made: will I be engaged—or will I imitate?

In both cases, there is a sense of one doing, and the other observing. But in one, there is internalizing, while in the other, there is passive engagement, and nothing gets stored.

Each one carries a backpack. One fills it intentionally with what he sees and what he is told–– the insights, tools, and truths. And yes, the bag gets heavier and heavier—but when the guide is gone, it’s filled with the philosophy and the “bible” of the one who guided.

The other keeps his bag empty. And yes it’s light and not weighing him down. But now that the director is gone, the bag is empty—and he can only rely on his own mind. And since he simply imitated, he didn’t store anything. And that is where the tragedy begins—for he is lost and unsure what to do next. And all the tales, the wisdom, the tools—they’ve gone to waste.

In a moment of need, he’ll come to the realization that many moments were gone to waste.

And the one can only hope that when the next opportunity comes around, the one will be more diligent about how the one conducts himself and engages with the process.

So make sure you fill your bag with good things—not wasteful things. For the room will run out, or the weight will overtake you.

Even the one who collects diligently must still discern what to hold on to and what to leave behind. And who knows—what you leave behind might serve someone else that stumbles upon it.

For your breadcrumbs can be the treasure the one with the empty bag needed.