“The distance between a passenger and a driver in a car is less than three feet, but that difference is huge. People who choose to be passengers are subject to going where the drivers are going. Passengers have no control over the speed with which they move ahead, nor do they have any say about whether or not rules are observed. Then again, being a passenger is appealing. Passengers merely sit in the car, relaxed and oblivious to their final destination. They may put headphones on and listen to music, or they may nap. They may talk or text on the cell phone or do crossword puzzles. However, they rarely pay attention to where they are, who is in front of them or behind them, or whether progress is being made. Their journey may be pleasant enough, but those choosing to be passengers are just going along for the ride.”

I recently read these words from Monday Morning Choices: 12 Powerful Ways to Go From Everyday to Extraordinary by author David Cottrell and was struck by how many people choose to be passengers in their journey through life. They are always blaming others or their circumstances and where they are in life. They allow life to happen to them instead of working to make life happen for them.

Sure, those who choose to be drivers must accept responsibility for moving forward toward their goals. They must pay attention and focus on getting to their final destination. They make decisions about how quickly to move ahead. They avoid obstacles, like bumps or dips in the road. They may even choose to take a detour when the road ahead seems unpassable. While the burden of their choices may become heavy at times, they know they have the choice on how to respond to those burdens.

Even if a passenger finds a driver who is seeking the same destination, his experience will be a mere shadow of the driver’s since he has nothing invested in the trip other than riding along. As we travel through life’s journeys, we have to make a choice: we can be a passenger, or we can be a driver. It is our choice.

Are you are traveling through your life’s journey as a passenger or a driver? Are you in charge of your destiny, or are you leaving that in the hands of others? As a passenger in life, you can only go where you are driven. I will leave you with this wonderful insight by former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt: “One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.” So, look around you. Are you in the driver’s seat…or are you a passenger, hoping that somehow you will reach your destination through the choices of others?

I care, Barb