Do you remember the board game of Chutes and Ladders?  I often feel like the path to success is very much like that.

Moving along through milestones in your business journey is like advancing a space on the Chutes and Ladders board. There are certain opportunities that can create a shortcut for you if you land on them at the right time.  When you find these individuals who help you, special opportunities to capitalize upon or some other opportunity to “jump ahead”, it’s much like taking the “ladder” on the game board.  You get to skip a few spaces, which is always enjoyable.

However, sometimes there are pitfalls.  Coincidentally (and often frustratingly), once in a while, the pitfalls may come from the same individuals or opportunities that were previously presented as a ladder. Those situations can send you spiraling down and backwards, just like the “chutes” knock you back a few spaces on the board. 

Then, you have to roll the dice to move ahead again.

The reality is that you can get to the end of the game board by just moving ahead space by space with each roll of the dice. You can also get lucky and catch a ladder to expedite your journey.  From time to time, you may also stumble through a pitfall and find yourself in a free fall backwards. However, if you remain determined and keep playing the game, you will get to the end.

You are in complete control of your own game by the virtue of being the one to decide if you should keep playing.  You may find help or a roadblock, a chute or a ladder, but you decide your own outcome.