What I Learned About Intention, Impact & Consistency While Crossing The Streets Of Hanoi

My husband and I traveled through Vietnam for our honeymoon 10 years ago. One of the hardest parts of our trip was crossing the street in Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city. Motorcycles and rickshaws and cabs and scooters bustled to and fro in multiple lanes. Yet there were no lane markers and no traffic lights and no cross walks. It was pure chaos to my Western eyes. 

When it was time to cross the street, we’d look to where we wanted to go on the other side, take a deep breath, and step right into the chaos. Slowly but intentionally we’d walk towards our destination. If we stopped, hesitated, or changed our pace, we’d be inches from getting run over by a dozen scooters that would honk their horns at us, adding to the loudness and energy of the hurried city.

We had to trust in the order of this apparent disorder to cross the street, because as long as we kept putting one foot in front of the other, vehicles would flow around us, like a mountain river flows around a boulder. When I stopped trusting and moved into control thinking I knew the better way, I swerved out of the path of an oncoming scooter and was nearly taken out by a truck full of chickens. 

Every night I would beg Mike to eat at a restaurant on the same block as our hotel, so we didn’t have to summon up courage to take on the traffic. But all the good ones were on the other side of the street, and deep-down I knew we didn’t take a 24-hour flight to the other side of the world to only experience our one little block.

Can you sense where I’m going with this story? Do you see how the Hanoi streets are a brilliant metaphor for life?

1) We need intention and a clear focus on where we want to go in order to get there.

2) We must keep moving forward consistently, even when it feels like chaos surrounds us.

3) We must take consistent small steps towards our goal over and over again, because stopping or questioning our path will slow us down. (Or land us in the emergency room!)

4) When we try to control things beyond our control, we get hurt. Instead, we must focus on what we can impact and keep stepping in that direction, while trusting in the flow of life.

5) The delicious parts of life and what we desire are on the other side of fear.

Take a minute to get clear on your #1 goal this month and put a plan in place to take one consistent baby step every single day to get there. You’ve got this!

xo
Sara

Sara Mueller
Success Coach specializing in life balance, self-mastery, and conscious relationships for ambitious career moms who desire achievement AND a balanced, purpose-driven life.

P.S. This month I’ve opened up 3 spots in my coaching program that helps women turn resentment and overwhelm into connection and purpose. Schedule a free consult with me now to discuss if this is the right fit for you and the different coaching support options available.