There’s always a lot to see on the trail. Sometimes the expected­–horses, dogs, people, streams, trees and snow. Sometimes the unexpected like the peacock a few weeks ago. Today, it was a little figurine sitting on a tree trunk amongst mushrooms. A little out of place, but a lot of fun.

These little bits of unexpected fun can be found everywhere. If someone puts them out there and others are looking for them. We often have blinders on to keep us focused. And sometimes the focus is so strong, we lose the fun around us. As business leaders, it is up to us to make sure we have those little bits of fun and encourage people to look for them.

A few days ago, I was heading down the trail when I rounded the bend and saw something that was totally unexpected. A peacock. Beautiful, iridescent blue neck and head. Flowing tail feathers. Stunning. And totally out of place in the Pacific Northwest on a 40 degree morning.

There’s beauty in many unexpected places. Sometimes, it just takes a moment to stop and observe and appreciate what is before us.

Last week, I was in San Juan. And as I was walking down the street, this rooster was standing there cock a doodle dooing away. He had a lot to say. And very loudly. The thing was, I wasn’t quite sure what he was trying to communicate. Marking his territory? Warning others of people? Something else? We spoke different languages. So, I didn’t understand his message. But that didn’t stop him from sending it.

Often times as leaders, we send messages out to others. But the people on the receiving end don’t always understand the message being sent. It’s lost in translation. And that’s the challenge we have as leaders. Making sure we are sending a message that people understand.

A few weeks ago, I was playing Wordle. You’ve got 6 guesses to figure out the five letter word. After my second guess, I thought I knew the word. But, I overthought it and wanted to eliminate more letters, so I went with my standard third guess. It was the safe play. Well, turns out, I knew the word and would have solved the puzzle. So, I got it on four instead of three.

The safe bet often gets you there in the end. It may just take a little more time. But sometimes, you know the right action. Do you trust your gut or play it safe?

For a lot of the summer, it seemed there were bugs everywhere. Which meant spiders began to show up everywhere too. And as I tried to take pictures of these quarter sized creatures that were strung across trails, plants and trees, I couldn’t get my iPhone to focus on them. I’d get up really close and zoom in. I’d tap the screen to show where to focus. I even watched YouTube tutorials. And try as I might, all I have are a series of blurs with beautifully focused foliage in the background.

Sometimes, try as we might, we aren’t able to focus on what is right in front of us. The things behind it pull focus because that small item seems overwhelmed by the breadth of the background.

That’s the challenge for leaders. Staying focused on the things that matter. And not getting distracted by all the little things going on in the background.

How are you making sure you focus on the things that matter?

The other day I was in a hurry. And without knowing it, I put my shirt on inside out and backwards. I didn’t notice by looking because I had another long sleeve lightweight shirt on over it. It served the purpose, but wasn’t quite right. It was functional, but just not quite right.

We often have things in business that aren’t quite right. They function, but not as intended. And not at peak. They aren’t noticed because something is obscuring the view. But to function well, we need to get them back to their proper order.

How are you making sure things aren’t inside out and backwards?