Leading By Knowing Just Where You’ve Been
I wrote about the great band Five Finger Death Punch’s song, “Battle Born,” already in Navigating Life’s Journey: Embracing The Unknown. The other day when spending time in the tractor cab I heard the song and thought about how how the phrase in the song, “I don’t know where I’m going, but I know just where I’ve been (battle born)” relates to a phrase I often use about being the “deer in the headlights.” In my book, Mere Leadership, I said, “Usually, this term is associated with being a bad thing, but I have come to realize that it really is a great thing. To truly gain expertise, become great at leading in a specific area or circumstance, and/or develop empathic concern, which we considered in the previous section, we have had to be the ‘deer in the headlights’” (p. 30).
Getting back to the lyrics, “I don’t know where I’m going, but I know just where I’ve been” reflects a sense of uncertainty about the future combined with a familiarity or perhaps nostalgia for the past. It suggests a feeling of being unsure of the next steps, but having confidence because of our past experiences. Just like having been the deer in the headlights.
We’re reminded to regularly take a moment of pause to allow ourselves to process our experiences and assess situations. Sometimes, taking a fleeting moment to reflect or gather ourselves can lead to better decisions or a clearer understanding inspired by our past experiences.
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