You Can See the Center… But You Still Have to Walk the Path

One of the things I love about a labyrinth is this: you can see where you’re going from the very beginning.

Unlike a maze, there are no tricks. No dead ends. No wrong turns. The center is visible. The destination is certain.

And still, you have to take every step.

You cannot rush your way there. You cannot cut across the grass. You cannot skip the curves just because you understand where the path leads. The design requires you to follow it fully, turn by turn.

Recently, I walked a labyrinth at a botanical garden, and it struck me how much this mirrors building a business.

When I launched and grew my consulting practice, the vision was clear. I knew the kind of work I wanted to do. I wanted to help mission-driven organizations clarify their message. I wanted to help leaders articulate their impact. I wanted storytelling and strategy to work together in a way that felt thoughtful, sustainable, and rooted in purpose.

I could see the center.

But clarity of vision does not eliminate the winding path.

There have been weeks that felt expansive and full of momentum. There have been seasons that required patience and quiet consistency. There have been turns that, at first glance, felt like detours, only to later reveal themselves as necessary growth.

The longer I build, the more I understand this truth: growth is not linear.

It is layered.

It is built in the repetition of showing up. In refining the message. In strengthening systems. In serving well. In trusting that steady progress matters more than dramatic leaps.

In marketing especially, there is pressure to move fast. To pivot quickly. To chase trends. But the organizations that build something lasting are the ones who commit to clarity and consistency. They stay on the path.

The goal is not speed.

The goal is sustainability.

Walking that labyrinth reminded me that every curve has purpose. Every turn is part of the design. And if you stay committed to the path, you will reach the center exactly when you are meant to.

So I will keep walking.

Because the work is not about arriving quickly. It is about building something strong enough to last.