One of the goals I set myself for this year is to travel more and work from anywhere.
This week, I’m in Sydney for a couple of workshops and a strategic planning offsite on my business with my Mentor Janine. I am staying at a hotel I booked through Booking.com. I’ve used them for a few years. The rates are usually great, and communication is simple.
This time, a little bonus popped up:
“You’ve earned a Free Ride.”
A taxi from the airport to my hotel, no charge. Nice.
Initially, everything felt seamless:
✅Confirmation email
✅Text message reminder
✅Even a message from the driver
But then… the messages kept coming.
“Have you landed yet?”
“Do you have your bag?”
“Let me know the moment you’re out.”
It started to feel like too much. What began as efficient soon tipped into over-communication. Email, text and whatsapp.
Eventually, I met him at the arrivals hall. He took my luggage and pointed the way to the car.
…which turned out to be a 10-minute walk away. Through the car park.
Glad I had my trainers on, not heels and the weather was fine — not sticky and hot or pouring with rain and I wasn’t on a deadline.
The car itself was spotless.
Soft classical music playing.
The driver was a little erratic
I tried three times to strike up a chat. Nothing. Eventually, I got the message, my Woo is pretty well trained now.
As I sat in the back of the car, I started weighing it up…
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Free ride vs inconvenience of walking.
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Clean car vs Metro Train
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Stuck in traffic vs speed
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To the hotel door vs dragging a bag up the hill
Nothing was wrong. But it reminded me that almost everything in life and work involves trade-offs.
We make them every day, consciously or not:
Structure or spontaneity?
Speed or connection?
Results or relationships?
Safety or stretch?
Even with our strengths knowing when to adjust (some use the language dial one up or down) often comes back to recognising the trade-off.
So here’s a little question for you today:
What trade-offs are you making — and are they working for you?
Are you choosing fast over enjoyable?
Safe over fulfilling?
Doing it yourself over trusting someone else?
There’s no one “right” answer. The trick is in choosing with intention and knowing what truly matters to you, your team, or your business.
For fun, let me know:
Chatty driver or silent ride?
Enjoy the walk or take the fastest route?
I can hear you now say, “It depends.”
And you’d be right.
In fact, this came up leading up to and during the Connect, Learn and Share event.
Some people loved the regular notifications and introductions.
Others didn’t.
And a few said they didn’t get them at all.
Same communication, different responses.
You see — it depends.
We’re all wired differently. What’s helpful to one person can be too much for another.
Finding the right balance is rarely perfect.
It’s human.
Messy.
Full of good intentions and misfires.
And that’s OK.
Humans are complex but maybe there is room for conscious trade-offs, increased awareness of self and others plus a little kindness to ourselves and others along the way.
One of the trade-offs many coaches face is connection vs isolation.
If you’re craving more support, conversation, or fresh thinking from fellow coaches, come check out Connect, Learn and Share. It might be just the nudge you need.
