Lessons from the rear view mirror

We spend a lot of time driving. We drive to work and back home. We drive children to activities. We drive to meet friends and so on. 

We use the rear view mirror a lot. Every time we want to change lanes, we glance in the mirror to do a quick check. It helps us make decisions.

Every time we want to stop, we look at the rear view mirror. Is there anyone behind us? Can we stop now or is it wise to do so later? 

Each time we want to move forward, there is always that glance to the rear view mirror. Are we going in the right direction? Are we at risk to crash into someone?

In life too, we are constantly looking over our shoulder to the past.

When we want to change direction in life, we are transported to the past. We have flashbacks to times when we wanted to change  and didn't do well. Or we remember our past victories, and are motivated to drive further.

Each time we move forward, there is always our personal rear view mirror. Our past failures, successes, disappointments and experiences are always guiding our move forward.

But, what happens when that quick glance turns into a gaze, and then we dwell on the past and stay so rooted that we are unable to move? Or worse still, that it makes us crash.

What happens when we are moving ahead , and yet looking behind?

Would you be able to drive successfully if you looked in your rear view mirror instead of looking ahead?

Too often, individuals and organisations spend so much time in the past, that they do not realize they are blocking their own ability to move forward. 

Past failures and disappointments demotivate us, and fill us with fear. What if the situation repeats itself again? 

Past successes and accomplishments motivate us, but also fill us with expectations that things would happen exactly as they happened before.

Organisations too have people who have been there for many years, and say, "we have done this before. It won't work."Or, "This has been done before, and has worked. So let's keep at it, and don't rock the boat"

And yet, each situation is dynamic, unique, and demands a different perspective.

The past is rich with experience and lessons. While we need to learn from it, we also need to move ahead.

If only we keep coming back to the lessons we can learn from the rear view mirror, we will be alright.

Lesson # 1: It's always a glance; We always do a quick check. There is no dwelling, or longing. It's a tool to help us move forward or change direction. Similarly the past is there for us to learn from, and move ahead. Check in with your past, but move on.

Lesson # 2: The scenery changes; Life and situations are dynamic. The present is changing, and so is the past. What was the scenery a minute ago in your rear-view mirror is different now. What we see ahead is also not the same as it was just a while ago. While the past is a great reference point for the future, we have to treat each situation as unique, and reward it with a different perspective. Recognize that, and appreciate the scenery. It will change again! 

Lesson # 3: Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear; We always read this disclaimer. It guides us to remember that what we see is not exactly the way it is. Hindsight is like that. It glosses over the beautiful parts, and we remember the ugly ones. Or vice versa. We are so closely invested in our past that we lose objectivity, and only remember what we want to. It's always a great idea to remind ourselves of this disclaimer.

Our past is glorious, and has made us who we are. The future is ahead of us, and filled with amazing peaks to conquer. But it is really the present that is defining us now.

And as we navigate through the present, we have to decide, do we want to use the rear view mirror to take our attention off the road, or do we use it as a great tool to bring our focus back to our road, and zoom ahead in our journey.