There is no other way to say it; The last few hours of the drive home to Columbus from North Carolina are boring as hell.
Once you pass Charleston, West Virginia you head north along Interstate 77 until Ripley, West Virginia, then hang a left, After crossing the Ohio River, you have to drive slowly along about 40 miles of single-lane roads that are notorious speed traps. (I should know. My last speeding ticket was along that stretch.) Add in total darkness for the last 3 hours and it’s easy to say it’s hard to stay focused.
I needed a boost so I turned off the podcasts which were getting a little redundant at that point and figured I needed something to pique my attention, energy, and focus. I needed to have a proverbial “co-pilot” riding along with me that I could almost feel like I was having a conversation, listening to their stories and occasional nuggets of wisdom.
Thanks to my XM satellite radio, I was able to listen to the great finish and playoff from The Genesis Tournament in Los Angeles, enjoy a few laughs from some funny stand-up comedians, and finish the last 75 miles jamming to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I can neither confirm nor deny that I might have been singing out loud and drumming to the beat on my steering wheel.
Who will you listen to this week?
No matter what part of your day, week, or year it is, we will all hit one of those stretches where it’ll be boring and we will lose focus. It helps if you have someone’s voice ringing in your ears to keep you on track.
Perhaps it’s a spouse or partner who offers encouragement. Maybe it’s the thought of your children cheering you on or a parent who is filled with pride at your efforts.
Do you have a coach, manager, or mentor who has provided ideas, information, and inspiration and now it’s time to not just “listen” to their words of wisdom but truly hear what they are telling you? It’s time to turn it up and start singing the same tune.
Some drives are certainly better than others and your attention won’t be fading, but when you hit one of those stretches along your journey, it’s nice to have someone who can talk you to your destination.
Cover Photo by Eugene Triguba