As I look through the glass of my French doors, I can see the mature oak tree just outside. Its base is one massive trunk leading to three main branches. I often see squirrels run up the trunk, only to freeze where the branches begin, their eyes and head darting frantically between the options while their body remains paralyzed by indecision. It’s as if they’re trying to determine the path to the most acorns, but the maze of smaller branches above and their vantage point makes doing so impossible. Consider the metaphor as it relates to your life. When you’re born, you’re on the main trunk. The path is laid out for you. You live with your parents and you go to the schools that they picked for you. For some, it goes even further, College is already chosen, maybe even a profession lined up. You may follow in your parents’ footsteps. Then at some point, you hear the call, you look around, you wonder if this is the right path for you, and you find yourself asking questions. “What do I really want to do with my life?” “Is it time to follow my dreams?” Maybe you’ve always wanted to be a teacher, a coach, an artist. We know very little about these paths and where they lead, so we assume there are few options. Usually clichés. A preschool teacher, a high school sports coach, a starving artist—just three branches off the trunk. Just like the squirrel, we freeze. We stay at an unfulfilling job for years. We dream, but we do not take action. Here’s what I love showing people: Those three branches? They’re not even close to the end of the limb. Each one splits into dozens, which split into hundreds and even thousands of smaller branches. What feels like a choice between A, B, and C is actually a starting point for an ever unfolding journey full of surprises. So what’s a squirrel to do? One of the most common stories I’ve heard from people who have followed their dreams is this: “I never could have imagined where I’d end up, or who I’d meet, or what opportunities would come my way.” The clarity comes after the first step, not before. If we insist on knowing where the path ends before we take that first step, how it fits into our finances, our family life, our identity, then we stay stuck. We don’t go anywhere, and we never get the chance to see who we might become or where that path could lead. Ironically, I’ve found that the more successful someone already is, the harder it can be to take that first step. Their current success can create pressure to predict the outcome and to know the full path before committing, but that’s just not how it works. I help you take that first step. I help you break free from the thought loop that says, “There are only three options, and none of them work for me.” I love watching a client become willing to take that first step towards infinite possibilities, even if they can’t imagine them all right now. That moment? That’s where the rest of your life begins. Live the dream, Michael Mendez Certified Professional Coach | ELI-MP