Have you ever attended Corporate Athlete® by Human Performance Institute®? Highly recommended! The course objectives are to “manage and expand your energy capacity to perform in high-stress environments without compromising health and happiness.” The two-day program I attended focused our attention and intention on managing energy across four dimensions: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Who doesn’t want that?
The question is how to show up as your best self, both at home and work. The course moves through lots of great material; the underpinning holding it all together is how critical it is to…
- understand your mission in life,
- create awareness of the internal voice, or the story, you tell yourself, and
- train effectively (e.g., create positive habits, seek expansive experiences).
In other words…
Who are you? What do you believe and how do you think? What do you do about it?
Who are you when you are at your best? If you don’t know, that’s okay. A month ago, I didn’t either. Over time, I had lost sight of my north star – I couldn’t tell you my life’s purpose or my mission. Without the navigation system of a mission, I was lost. Maybe you’re in the same spot?
May I share with you my renewed sense of best self? Before I do, here are the steps I took to get clarity for myself. I wonder, would your answers lead you down a path that’s different from where you are today?
- Ask yourself:
- What is important to me?
- What comes naturally?
- When am I most proud of myself?
- How do I spend my free time?
- What type of work brings me joy?
- If money were no object, how would I spend my time?
- What is my passion?
- What is possible?
- Reflect over your entire life. Ask those questions as if you were still a kid, as a teenager, young adult, and today. Think about your best qualities, strengths, and happy and fulfilled moments that have come up over and over again, like recurring themes.
- Journal your reflections. Don’t type…cursive writing, please! It’ll take some time, and you might even have to bust through a fear barrier, but it’s worth it. Use succinct bullet points to summarize and punctuate your ultimate mission.
After several iterations (I reserve the right to modify over time), here’s my life mission:
- to love my family fiercely and unconditionally; to be present to nurture and be nurtured
- to conquer fear by confronting self-imposed limiting beliefs and thought processes; to expand my comfort zone through experience
- to make positive change lasting; to show others how to do the same
Now, there’s a framework! Since getting a grip on my mission, in the last month, I have made some new choices like re-enrolling in graduate school for an MS in OD, re-booting my coaching practice, re-engaging with writing (book concept is cooking), and even re-considering my career. Scary? Sure, but see bullet #2.
Let me know how I can help you!
Anna
copyright 2018
AvO Ideation LLC 