How to get through a snowstorm

Have you ever driven in a really bad snowstorm?

Well if you live somewhere in the northeast, at some point in time you have.  But I am talking about that one storm we all know to well, where the show feels like it is coming right at you.  Where you can barely see the front of the car.  Have you ever been driving in that storm and you just needed to get someplace very important? What do you think happens?

• Do you listen to the radio?    Answer: No
• Do you talk on the cell phone?   Answer: No
• If anyone is with you, do you talk with them? Answer: No
• Do you take your eyes off the road for one second? Answer: No

So those are all the things you are not doing.  What do you think are the things you are doing?

• Grabbing that wheel as tight as you can?  Answer: Yes
• Making sure mirrors and wipers are working? Answer: Yes
• Paying attention to the road 100 percent?   Answer: Yes
• Not letting anyone or anything distract you?  Answer: Yes

If you can close your eyes you can imagine it so clearly, that moment as you are driving down the road, it feels like the snow will never stop coming down.  And as you keep that laser focus on the road, sure enough, a big giant 18-wheeler comes blazing past you.  Once again you grab that wheel even tighter.  You know what amazes me most about traveling in those types of storms?  How come we never turn around and go back home?  How come we don't just stop and pull over on the side of the road? How come we just don't quit and give up?  Well we already established that we needed to get someplace important.

That last statement is one that we never remind ourselves us when it comes to our lives.  How come in a snowstorm we do all the things needed to get through that, but we fail to do those same things to get through the challenges we face in our daily lives.  To achieve your goals and dreams all you have to do is four simple things:

• Grab the wheel a little tighter  
• Making sure your mirror and wipers are working.
• Paying attention to the road 100% (staying laser focused to what is most important) 
• Not letting anyone or thing distract you.

When you do that and you are driving in that bad snowstorm, something amazing happens.  All of a sudden, out of nowhere, the snow stops and it is as clear as can be.  How do you feel?  Relieved, excited, happy, thankful?  You made it through!  I promise you, those that stay focused, hang on tight and not let anyone distract them from their destination in life will have that same feeling one day as the snow storm of life lifts. It is as clear as can be. 

Remember be positive, be real and live your life In The Zone.

David F Muraco is a certified life coach, motivator and radio talk show host who lives in Oneida. In 2004 he founded "In the Zone", a business dedicated to helping people reach their goals. His column runs every Wednesday in the Utica Daily News.  To contact David, email him at davemuraco@in-the-zone.biz or visit his website at http://In-the-zone.biz