“Are you drifting in life, moving in circles, or feeling frustrated by unmet needs? You’re not alone.” Let me share some interesting stories that might resonate with you.

Meet Laddu Pinto, our confused friend at the railway station, eager to catch a train. He rushes to the railway station, pulls out a five-hundred-rupee note, and demands a ticket. But here’s the twist – he doesn’t mention his destination. The ticket counter person repeatedly asks, “Where do you want to go?” Laddu just waves his money, hoping it’s enough to get him moving. Frustrated, the counter agent finally shouts, “Sir, unless you tell me where you want to go, I can’t help you!” Result? A chaotic scene and no ticket in hand.

Sounds absurd, right? But aren’t we behaving like Laddu sometimes in our lives? In a rush to accomplish something, we do not have clearly identified destination! This often happens with people setting vague goals. They say they want to “succeed” or “be happy,” but without defining what that success or happiness looks like. Consequently, they remain stagnant or feel lost.

Think about Sarah, a fresh graduate who went to a spiritual guru and demanded the secret formulae for becoming successful. She said, “I want to be successful.” When the guru asked what success means to her, she shrugs, “You know, I just want to be successful and that’s it.” The guru said, “Come to me with a clearly defined ‘Ask’. I cannot guide you to reach a place which has no address!”

Take the case of Mohan, who started a medicine business saying, “I want to make it big.” But without a clear vision of what “big” means he was not able to build the empire. He was not sure if he wanted to grow in terms of revenue or his presence in the market place! All through his career, he struggled to make meaningful progress and ended up retiring as an unhappy and unfulfilled entrepreneur.

Without a clear destination, you’re like a ship without a guiding compass. You might be moving, but are you moving forward? Imagine the ship setting sail from the harbor with no planned route. Eventually, it will drift aimlessly, wasting time and resources. Similarly, if we lack specific goals or dreams, our energy, no matter how abundant, is misdirected.

The lesson? Set a clear destination. This doesn’t mean you need to know every single step, but you need a vision of where you’d like to be. Set specific, actionable goals that resonate with you and regularly remind yourself of why you started.

Writing down your goals is also powerful—seeing them on paper brings them closer to reality. By defining your destination, you give yourself purpose and direction, making it easier to take the next steps toward achieving your dreams.

This reminds me of Jamuna, a talented designer who worked with a world renowned organisation. Year on year, she kept getting passed over for promotions by her superiors. The only reason being, she never discussed her career aspirations with her seniors. When asked about this she says, “My manager must know what I want.” My question is, Why should you assume that all managers would be great enough to understand their subordinates career goals? Jamuna must learn to speak up for herself and pronounce her ambitions to those stakeholders who matter to her!

Here’s the truth: This world isn’t designed to read your mind. Your dreams, desires, and needs must be voiced clearly. To avoid such self-sabotaging situations one must do the following:

1) Define Your Destination: Write down specific goals Create clear timelines Break big dreams into smaller, actionable steps

2) Express Your Needs: Be specific about what you want

Don’t assume others know your needs

Practice transparent communication

Remember: A vague destination leads to a ambiguous journey and unexpressed needs remain unmet. Just as Laddu couldn’t get his ticket without naming his destination, you can’t reach your goals without defining them or fulfill your needs without expressing them. Next time you feel stuck or misunderstood, ask yourself: Do I know exactly where I’m heading?

Have I clearly expressed what I need?

Your journey to success begins with these two simple yet powerful steps: Know your destination and voice your needs. The rest will follow.

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