I had recently started a new job and didn’t meet any of the 3 critical criteria they had agreed on before recruiting me. I had got it anyway and I had something to prove.

Why then had I ended up in Monaco to see an important customer and not brought their address with me? There was no way I was going to phone my boss and ask for his help, that would be suicide. So I set off purposefully from the hotel as though I knew exactly what I was doing (needless to say this was pre-internet, google maps, cloud etc… wouldn’t happen now). Yellow pages I thought. Find a phone box and look them up. Found a phone box, yellow pages had been stolen. Repeat three times.

Next idea… march into random office and tell receptionist I have an appointment with Monsieur X. After some confusion I ‘realise’ I am in the wrong office and she very kindly looks up the address of the firm I am supposed to be visiting. Bingo. Now I know the address and try to remember the rather long (and French) directions she has given me. 20 minutes later it is still looking hopeless.

I slow to a stop and admit defeat. I am a fool feeling like a fool. Why on earth did I let this happen. I need help I thought looking up at the blue, blue sky. And there, right above my head is the name of the company. I have in fact stopped right outside their door but didn’t realise till I looked up. And only one minute late.

Of course this isn’t a great way to be professional or efficient. But as a lesson in life it worked well. Asking for help does not come easy to me, admitting defeat even less so. And yet in this case, and others since, just doing that has proved enough to solve the problem.

Maybe next time you feel lost it’s because you haven’t opened to being found. Give it a whirl, see where it takes you. And happy travels.