[This is the first in a series of posts about how we sustain ourselves, based upon ideas presented in “Sustainable You, 8 First Steps to Lasting Change in Business and in Life,” available from Fisherblue Press.]

Say you want to drive cross-country to visit your college roommate, whose house you’ve never been to. Here are some scenarios for achieving that goal:

• You could think about how you would do it if you went, but that probably wouldn’t get you there.
• You could jump in the car and head in the general direction and hope for the best. But that probably won’t get you there either.
• You could identify your destination, map out a route (or turn on the GPS), and take off, progressing as much as you can each day without ignoring your basic needs. If you keep at it, if unforeseen events don’t befall you, you’ll get there.

This is pap, right? Obvious. Routine. Duh!

And yet, I’d wager that for whatever reason, you’re hardly ever so methodical about achieving change in your life. So many of us believe we’re stuck where we are and that all resistance is futile.

In some cases, that's certainly true: You’re not going to grow six inches, or learn to fly unaided. But my experience is that we are all capable of changing a lot more than we think. I’ve experienced significant change, I’ve seen too many other examples to think my change was just about me.

Change is a big topic, but let’s begin here: You can’t get where you want to go without being clear about where it is, mapping a plan to get there, and accepting help along the way.

Where do you want to go?