Lead Your Idea. Don't let Your Ideas Lead You.

When I was preparing the episode Become a Pathfinder: Don’t Let Your Stepping Stones Become Your Obstacles, I used AI to create the cover image. The AI has generated two options: one with only a few stepping stones ahead of the man and another with a full path of stones leading into the distance. I chose the first one because it reflects the reality we often face —uncertain, with no clear path in front of us.

When we are navigating our pathway, expanding our horizons or trying to, we constantly ask ourselves, "What’s next? Will it lead to a dead end? What if it doesn’t work out?" Sometimes, the thought of stepping from Here to There feels overwhelming. “It’s safer to stay Here,” we tell ourselves, “Here already has enough problems waiting for me to solve.” And yet, the desire to move forward to There is unclear, or, maybe later.

When I was teenage, I loved playing the game Ultima IV. In the game, I explored new territories and uncovered hidden cities, caves, and treasures. Sometimes, in some regions on the map, the game only reveals the few steps directly ahead of you, forcing you to keep moving forward into something uncertain, even though an enemy might await at the next turn. It’s like our current situation now. You can't stand still. You may not know what challenges lie ahead, but the only way to progress is to keep stepping forward.

That’s why I chose the AI image with fewer stepping stones. I liked that sense of uncertainty—it mirrors our journeys. We don’t know where our next steps will lead, but we have to move forward anyway. That’s the core message of this episode: it’s important to take action, but we shouldn’t cling too tightly to our rigid expectations of how things should go. Let the reality reveal your next step, and remain open to adapting as you go.

I have thought about adding a sunrise to the image—something to make it brighter and more hopeful. But then I realized that’s not how reality works. Sometimes the skies stay cloudy longer than we expect. The temptation to give up is strongest when we expect clear skies and smooth sailing, but they don’t come even if we have moved on for many steps. Stepping into uncertainty with confidence is the key. Even when the goal isn’t clear, the path isn’t fully lit, and the weather is stormy, trust that each step forward brings you closer to something new.

We need to remember: don't be led by our ideas of how things should be. Instead, lead our ideas with the courage to create a new reality.