EXPANDING YOUR HORIZONS

They say that travel broadens the mind, opens up curiosity and generates thoughts and ideas that otherwise might never see the light of day.

Is all this really possible, just by visiting another country? Well, yes it is if you can soak up some of the culture, the history and the customs, in addition to trying out the local cuisine and wines!

Embarking on the ‘Grand Tour’

The original Grand Tour of the early 1600’s was ‘foreign travel, commonly undertaken by young gentlemen to finish off their education’. In those days each tour could take up to two or three years, much of the time being spent in travelling between countries and cities.

But what actually is it that we achieve through travel and how do we go about it? Almost everyone has travelled abroad at some time in their lives. I was born abroad and my first travel experience - aged just four and a half years – was entering the UK from a ship, docking in a deeply snow covered port in Scotland. I remember it (just) with both fear and excitement but as the days went by, I acclimatised my thinking as I compared the tropics of the past with the deepest mid winter of the present.

Getting comfortable with new surroundings

Thus part of the process is getting comfortable with unusual surroundings, knowing that you will survive, despite initial misgivings. Most travels turn out to be a lot of fun, some really quite exhilarating – and somewhere along the way you may discover that for you, the ‘journey’ becomes almost as important as the ‘destination’!

Of course, it’s not just travel that broadens the mind. To seek out new experiences in business can create an even more expansive result, especially in areas where your previous knowledge has been somewhat limited. Stepping back and taking a long look at what might be, is fun for some and frightening for others but seeking help from people you trust could be the first step towards making more of yourself and your abilities.

Opening up new opportunities

It’s not always easy in these current times to decide what you’re looking for and how best to go about it. Modes of travel are readily available but the really important question is what can I do to enhance progress in my business abilities? There are many options available, to finding a path that suits you, which is very much part of the overall problem.

Part of my pleasure in life is “using my experiences to help you create yours”, which has been my own strapline for many years.? I don’t have all the answers but I do have a great many questions although even the simplest of questions can sometimes be extremely difficult to answer honestly.

Guides and mentors

As a Leadership Mentor, I have talked with a great many leaders from every conceivable level over the last thirty or so years, looking to their futures with them, considering any number of ways that may be open to them should they choose to go in a particular direction.

Added to this is the chance to attend as a participant on my uniquely challenging Leading Through Change (LPT) programme, which opens up whole new practical experiences and ideas, often working with new people in different and unusual situations that you’ve never been in before. Nobody can force you to do what you don’t want but if you have a chance to create some new experiences, you may well get closer to finding out what suits you best.

Creating new opportunities

Having someone to help your thinking along takes the sting out of the uncertainty and using their experiences allows you to minimise the risk, whilst ensuring that your objectives are sound and workable.

The real value of expanding your horizons and actively involving yourself in new experiences is to extend your knowledge and abilities by having a broader grasp of life and what it has to offer – and if you are still in two minds, read what Michelangelo had to say on the subject:

‘Your greatness is measured by your horizons’

If you are looking for ways of progressing your abilities, get in touch with me directly. We can talk in outline initially and in depth subsequently if that suits you and I will do my best to understand what you would really enjoy and excel in. Talking and engaging one’s mind is the closest thing to actually experiencing a whole new set of experiences, without the fear of falling flat on your face!

I look forward to hearing from you!

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