Life is unpredictable, as we all know, and that means we can never truly count on any future certainty. We can, however, use the philosophy of “Follow the Thread” to keep ourselves on track when unexpected events threaten to derail us – or even when we feel pangs of uncertainty from within.
The thread, once you identify it, connects you to your calling through thick and thin. It’s a method of navigation through challenges, unforeseen circumstances, the undulating waves of life itself.
Before we go further, let’s consider this beautiful poem by William Stafford. Titled “The Way It Is,” it encapsulates this idea of “following the thread” perfectly:
The Way It Is by William Stafford
There’s a thread you follow. It goes among
things that change. But it doesn’t change.
People wonder about what you are pursuing.
You have to explain about the thread.
But it is hard for others to see.
While you hold it you can’t get lost.
Tragedies happen; people get hurt
or die; and you suffer and get old.
Nothing you do can stop time’s unfolding.
You don’t ever let go of the thread.
To follow the thread is to follow your own fascination, interests, and motivation. It is to engage in self-honesty and constantly consider what’s truly important to you. The thread is your vision and mission, or more deeply, the values that your vision embodies. With a strong thread, setbacks and pivots and surprises can’t take you of course because you always have that thread to guide you back toward what matters most.
I was recently a guest on the Just Do You podcast, and we explore this topic in detail. You can find the full episode here!
Life never stops, and neither does the thread. When you follow it, obstacles because commas – not periods. You may have to pause and evaluate, but if you never let go of the thread, you’ll never lose your sense of direction.
The unfolding present is alive and kicking, though, and engaging with reality as it truly is (instead of through the filters of your biases and assumptions) is an ever-evolving dance. Just as life’s circumstances may change over time, so too may your thread!
What matters here is that you’re being honest and engaged with the emerging qualities of the future in the here and now. If you need to reprioritize or redefine your thread, that’s okay – as long as you’re truly honest with yourself.
Consistently ask: what matters most to me? What do I want to create?
Armed with confident answers to those questions, with a firm grasp on the thread of what matters most, you can center both your attention and intention doing what’s right for you. This is an act of being ON PURPOSE that can’t be rattled by the ups and downs of life’s roller coaster.
As you move through the present, learning the path by walking it, remember that you have a guide within you. What thread do you want to follow?
