“Only dead fish go with the flow.” – Andy Hunt
I might look like a hippie with my long, wavy blonde hair, lack of make-up, and bare feet, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that I’m the type of person who likes to always go with the flow. I heard this quote from Andy Hunt a few years ago and it changed my life. It helped me accept the fact that I don’t go with the flow 90% of the time.
I don’t want to be a dead fish.
What Does It Mean to Go With the Flow?
Going with the flow means being laid back and relaxed, and accepting your circumstances instead of trying to change them.
For many people, this way of living is perfect and works well for them. For me, not so much.
Why I Don’t Go With the Flow
Call me a control freak, call me type A, but I like planning, I like being deliberate, I like schedules… I like living intentionally and planning out my life strategically to help me achieve my goals.
I’m not going to create a dream life in my mind, set goals, and then hope the flow takes me there. No, I’m going to map out my route to victory. And even if I make a mistake and go off course, I know that I can change the plan. I can always course-correct.
I’m a big believer in setting big goals and then breaking things down into yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily goals. You want to break things down into small action steps that you can take that will get you closer to reaching your desired destination.
This is hard to do if you’re always trying to go with the flow.
I used to feel bad about the fact that I’m not that fun, relaxed, and spontaneous. I wanted to be the girl who always goes with the flow. Every now and then, there is a day where I let my monkey mind take over and I can go with the flow, but most of the time, that’s just not me.
And now that I’m older, I can see the power in being the way I am. I’m okay with being a little different and not going with the flow 90% of the time. I’m okay with not being a dead fish.
