Will this serve me?
This week I heard a powerful quote from a coach in another field:
“Before you take any action, ask yourself — will this serve the path I want to be on?”
It really struck a chord.
Because when it comes to achieving any meaningful goal — whether it's building a business, making a career change, improving your health, or being more present at home — there comes a point where the practical steps are clear. What remains is managing your mind and emotions. And this question becomes a simple but powerful filter to guide your choices:
Will this serve the path I want to be on?
Why We Struggle to Stay on the Path
Once you’ve mapped out the actions required to reach your goal, things should get easier — right?
Not quite. Because that’s when your brain starts offering reasons why you shouldn’t follow through:
“This little detour won’t matter.”
“I’ll start again next week.”
“Maybe it’s not the right time.”
“I don’t want to stand out.”
“I don’t want to miss out.”
“What if I fail anyway?”
These thoughts are incredibly convincing — but they’re not truth.
They’re resistance.
Your brain wants to keep you in the known — even if it’s not where you want to be. It’s designed to avoid risk, conserve energy, and seek comfort. And your goal, by its very nature, lives outside that comfort zone.
Clarity First: Define Your Path
The first thing I do with every client is help them create their path. That means:
Getting crystal clear on their goal
Listing out the key actions that will move them forward
Identifying likely obstacles
And building in strategies to stay on track
Think of it like a river. Your goal is the destination.
The river is your path.
And every “off-path” action is like a little stream — it diverts your momentum, often without you noticing.
The more you meander, the longer it takes to get where you truly want to go.
The Power of the Question
Once you’ve mapped your path, you can return to that core question:
Will this serve the path I want to be on?
When you’re tired.
When self-doubt creeps in.
When it would be easier to say yes when you meant to say no.
You can use this question to ground yourself and choose again.
It’s simple, but it cuts through the noise.
Try This: Map Your Path Exercise
Take a quiet moment and grab two sheets of paper. Here’s the process:
Sheet 1 – Your Goal Path
Write your goal at the top (be specific and inspiring).
Draw two vertical lines about 5cm apart down the middle — this is your path.
Inside the path, list the daily and weekly actions that will move you toward your goal.
Sheet 2 – Off-Path Planning
Draw a line down the middle.
Left side: List all the common “streams” — thoughts, actions, habits that tend to pull you off your path.
Right side: Write a counter strategy for each — a way to re-centre, realign, or protect your momentum.
This visualisation is powerful. When you catch yourself hesitating, you’ll know exactly what’s happening — and what to do next.
Follow the Path, Even When It’s Hard
The truth is, knowing your path is easy.
Following it? That’s the challenge.
It requires emotional regulation, mental rehearsal, and practice.
You have to be willing to disappoint old habits, old identities, even other people at times.
You have to override your brain’s resistance to the unfamiliar.
But here’s the good news:
Each time you stay on your path, you build self-trust.
And the more you trust yourself, the easier it becomes to stay the course.
So if you haven’t reached your goal yet — whatever it is — I encourage you to walk through this process.
You’ll likely discover that the biggest obstacle isn’t external.
It’s the stream of unconscious patterns your brain is offering to keep you comfortable.
And once you learn how to spot them and stay on your path?
That’s when real change begins.
