The Road Not Built Yet

Have you ever been working toward a goal, or trying to solve a problem, and been stuck? You have probably done everything you know to do, but now can’t seem to make any further progress. What are your choices? You could just give up and forget about your goal or solving your problem. You could keep trying to move forward, not giving up no matter what. Or, you could turn around and go back.

One day, I was walking on a new road that was being built. The road was just dirt and rocks, and was only used by a few local homeowners. It was very quiet and peaceful, and the views of the mountains, and the openness were awe inspiring. In the near future, it would be a major thoroughfare, and would not be so quiet and peaceful anymore. As I walked, I thought about what I could do to achieve some of my goals.

I remembered a lesson from one of my psychology classes about problem solving and goal setting. We had learned that many people use the “hill climbing strategy” when trying to solve problems. This means they try to solve problems as they would climb a mountain; no matter what, they always move upward. Anytime there is a choice, they choose whichever path is going up. Everything they do is directed toward the top of the hill. However, sometimes they come to a place where no matter how hard they try, they cannot move upward from where they are; and they are stuck. Many people will just keep trying to go forward from that very spot. They will buckle down and keep trying harder than ever to make that upward and forward progress.

Others make another choice. They stop, and look for a way to get around their current obstacle. They may only have to move to the left or to the right a little bit and then they can keep going upward. Sometimes, the only way to go forward is to actually go backward and start in another direction to make it to the top. Few people choose this method because they are so afraid that if they go backward, they will not be on their way up anymore. They worry that by going backward they will be going the wrong way. They believe that because that is not how others do it, it must not be right. When, in reality, there are many times when the only way to move forward is to turn around and go back.

I thought of Robert Frost’s famous poem, The Road Not Taken. ”Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” When we choose to look for new ways to solve problems, and new ways to accomplish our goals, we will likely be taking the road less traveled. As I walked, it occurred to me that I was actually taking the road not built yet. I thought about how, to accomplish my goals, I might have to turn around, go back, and start from a different spot. That has made all the difference.