The Labyrinth
There’s a reason why this symbol is so powerful for me and my work.
Take a few moments and trace your finger through the labyrinth above (screen shot it if you have to).
So first off, sorry for smudging your screen.
Second, notice how it’s not a spiral—there is no straight shot to the center in this particular labyrinth.
And third, it’s not a maze—there are no dead-ends or wrong turns.
The labyrinth is a simple but winding path symbolizing spiritual transformation and contemplation.
But it serves us midlife men in several powerful ways.
You see, we all want our new path to be a straight shot to fulfillment because that’s how we were raised in the plug-and-play first half of life.
Transformation isn’t like that.
It lacks traction to get going, it loses momentum, and it’s full of mistakes, false starts, and getting lost. All the time.
True growth takes patience, creativity, and self-compassion.
In other words, we’re measuring success against the wrong expectations.
We expect the path to be a spiral. And when we get lost, we then expect it to be a maze.
It’s neither. It’s a labyrinth—THE symbol of the midlife transition.
I’ll show you. Trace your finger again towards the center and right near the middle of your journey, you get just near enough to look like you’ll make it. Do you see what happens?
A few turns later, you’re actually moving farther away. How frustrating! How maddening!
But this is how the labyrinth works.
You must not lose hope when you see you’re moving farther away from it.
But it also symbolizes something else.
It’s a hero’s journey. And you’ve already been on it—as a creative.
The thrill of the beginning, the mucky slog through the middle, the tests of nerves and faith, the setbacks, the battles of will.
And finally, when you the find the treasure in the middle, you still have to struggle your way back out again.
The message is simple: Keep Going!
All this complete with a hero, a villain, fellow pathwalkers, a guide, and a dragon—ALL inside you.
Except this time, you’re not creating a work of art, you’re creating your second half.
Even when your faith, your hope, your will, your energy, and even your own sanity sometimes are gone, it's enough to just put one foot in front of the other and keep going.
This is why the labyrinth holds such a powerful energy, for me, my coaching, and now for you, if you accept it.
It’s not just a symbol, it’s a map.
Walk your own true path and no one else’s. It’s one of the greatest most difficult adventures any one person can take.