Finding Your Pathway to you²

He appeared on a Wednesday—midafternoon—in the reception area of my Dallas offices. Unannounced. Certainly unexpected.

I spotted him by chance as I walked toward our break room to grab a Diet Pepsi. He seemed lost and unsure. Ordinarily the receptionist would have seen him and dealt with the situation. But she had gone to pick up the day’s mail. So there he stood, quiet and alone.

I approached him with a mixture of curiosity and, truth be known, borderline impatience. I was busy with no time for interruptions. Who was this and why was he here?

When I asked if I could help him, he spoke too softly and his English carried a heavy foreign accent. His comments were vague, choppy, and hard to understand. Now I was lost.

When I asked for his name he said, “Danour.” From Nepal.

Our conversation struggled. Best I could tell, Danour had read my you² handbook and traveled to my office hoping by chance to meet me in person. Gradually I decoded what he wanted. Essentially, his question was, “What should I do to make a quantum leap?”

The problem?

Danour didn’t know what he wanted. He was hooked by the idea of making a breakthrough from you to “you squared,” yet he seemed aimless. He named a few things he didn’t want. But there was no particular goal pulling at his heart. His prevailing desire, in so many words, was for me to help him figure out what he desired.

Trust me, I’m not that good!

I told Danour to go back to my you² handbook, to read and reflect on the chapter titled “Fall in Love.”

But let’s presume that he listens to his heart and it has little to say. Maybe he finds no burning passion, no big ambition that sets him on fire. Then what?

Option 1: He could cancel the notion of chasing a quantum leap and get on with his life.

Option 2: Danour could conduct what I call “patient reconnaissance.” There are various pathways he could explore. For example, he could:

• Lean in to something that stirs his imagination.
• Focus on muscling up one of his superpowers.
• Dig into an activity he’s curious about.
• Indulge in a personal craving he has been foregoing.
• Say yes to some unexpected opportunity that comes his way.

And, throughout the process, just pay attention to his feelings.

Sometimes a breakthrough to you² begins so very quietly, in tiny ways too subtle for us to recognize the possibilities that are in play. It might start as an idea, a random thought, or some activity that we explore with growing interest, working the idea and investing ourselves until emotions develop the power to drive a quantum leap.

It doesn’t have to be love at first sight.

Danour is young and venturesome, actually brave. He has a hunger gnawing at him and treasures that are hidden inside. My bet is that he’ll choose option 2.

It can work for you, too.