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When I go for a walk, it is never about speed or getting my steps in. I walk with my eyes and my mind open, paying attention to what shows up along the way. I often stop at the simplest things and take a moment to reflect. This practice takes me back to my first TEDx talk, Discovering the Extraordinary in the Ordinary (TEDxSFU), where I introduced CARPE. Curiosity – Appreciation – Reflection – Perspectives – Experience are the five anchors that help me step out of autopilot and into a more intentional and appreciative way of being.

On one of these walks, I crossed the road and noticed a set of footprints. I stopped. Curiosity drew me in, even though I could not immediately explain why. Appreciation followed, because those footprints clearly meant something beyond what was visible. Reflection kicked in as I wondered who they belonged to and where that person might have been going. Perspectives emerged as I noticed how the prints were strong at first and then slowly faded or were faded and became stronger depending on the direction one was walking. Experience sealed it, as I captured the moment and chose not to let the thought pass me by as it began to focus on individuals and their journey.

Those footprints made me think in two different ways when viewed through the lens of career development. Perhaps they represent how many of us enter our careers with clarity, confidence, and momentum, leaving deep impressions as we learn, contribute, and stretch ourselves. Over time, routine can quietly take over. The work becomes familiar, the days blur together, and without intention our presence can fade as we move from purposeful engagement to comfortable autopilot. The footprints grow lighter not because we are less capable, but because we stop pausing to reflect, re-calibrate, and choose our direction.

Or maybe the faded footprints reflect a different moment altogether, a point in our careers where we feel uncertain, disconnected, or unsure of our next step. In those moments, progress can feel unclear and directionless. Yet with reflection, curiosity, and the right anchor points such as mentors, meaningful experiences, and honest self assessment, the path begins to sharpen again and we have momentum leading to footprints forming, stronger and more intentional than before. Both interpretations emerge from the same set of footprints, reminding us that career paths are rarely linear and that awareness is often the difference between drifting and deliberately moving forward.

As you head out for your next walk, what are you missing along the way? What might you notice if you walked with your eyes and mind open, walking with CARPE?