Creativity and the Road Trip to Success: Why Checkpoints Matter More Than You Think
- Haide Giesbrecht
- Aug 14, 2025
- 2 min read
Recovering from surgery taught me something surprising: success often starts with a simple check-in.
Making Space for Creativity
This summer, as I’ve been recovering from surgery, I’ve had the opportunity to intentionally focus on a few tasks that had taken a back seat to the busyness of everyday life. One of those tasks was creating a website.
I have always enjoyed artistic endeavours and feel most connected to who I am when I can engage in creativity. I was fortunate to work with two marketing coaches who encouraged me to tap into my creativity and lean into storytelling - both of which felt very true to who I am.
The Power of Intentional Time
Having intentional time to focus on creating, writing, and designing has been wonderful! My feedback at the end of the course was clear: I would not have created the website I did without the regular commitment to homework and the accountability of showing up for our weekly meetings.
Why Accountability Matters
This experience reminded me of something that’s true for most of us: to accomplish the things we truly want, we often need some form of incentive or structure to help us stay on track. Whether it’s a weekly check-in with a coach, counsellor, or mentor, having a consistent commitment to progress can be a significant step toward success.
Three Steps to Move Toward Your Goals
As you reflect on where you are today and where you’d like to be, consider what kind of accountability could help you achieve your goals:
Clarify what you want to achieve. Be specific and start small. For me, it was building a website.
Identify your support network. Who could help you stay on track—a mentor, counsellor, coach, or good friend? Who would be willing to check in regularly and follow up on your progress?
Commit to doing the work. The person checking in isn’t responsible for your progress; their role is simply to provide a checkpoint—a road marker along the way.
The Road Trip Analogy
It’s a lot like a road trip. The mile markers along the highway don’t move you toward your destination; they simply reassure you that you’re on the right path. The check-ins and accountability are helpful, but true progress happens when you keep driving toward where you want to go.
~ Haide
