Questions to Uncover YOUR Calling / Purpose / Why...

​Two Most Important Days in Your Life: The Day You Were Born and the Day You Discover Why...

​Since we are in the age of self-help / self-diagnosis I want to provide a bit of a frame work to help you take the FIRST step toward a contented / fulfilled life and answering the MOST important question you should answer: What's my calling / purpose / why? 

Questions to ask yourself BEFORE you begin:

• What needs to be done?
• Is it a WANT or NEED?
• What challenge(s) am I trying to solve?
• Why do I think I have a challenge?
• What data do I have to support this claim?
• What do I hope the personal assessment will accomplish? Or, 
• What does success look like as a result of doing this personal assessment? Or,
• What do I look like transformed?
• By going on this quest, do I have buy-in from those closest to me?
• How will those closest to me support this effort?
• How committed am I about rolling up my sleeves to do this assessment AND follow up AND follow through?
• What's the worst thing that will happen if I do nothing?
• Is it a motivation challenge or a skill challenge?
• Am I willing to put myself out there to learn about me?
• Is it worth it?

If the answers above SUPPORT you continuing down this self-assessment / evaluation mode keep reading, roll up your sleeves and begin your quest!

Author notes:

• People have asked me if I'm on a spiritual journey through my blog and website. I submit I have a faith I want to continue to nurture, grow, and share with those open to learn. That said, I encourage EVERYONE to "lean in" on THEIR faith - whatever it may be. When we do that - this "thing" around calling, purpose, and why seem to become LESS ominous. 
• Answering the questions that follow are an entry point to connecting to your purpose / meaning / why...the beginning!
• IF you find yourself getting mentally "log-jammed" may I suggest a coach? If not, it is my hope these questions get you to, or closer to, a point of clarity!
• If yes, I would be happy to be a sounding board for a complimentary 30 minute call. (Contact info below.)
• You will notice there are PLENTY of thought-provoking questions to ponder. Some of which overlap one another - by design.
• Also no accident, as you work through DESIGN and DESTINY the number of questions become more limited since you'll probably need an objective resource / sounding board to reflect, process, land on the answers uncovered in Steps 1 and 2…

Take Your Position!

So, in keeping with our previous post around appreciative inquiry (AI) - Your Route to Empowerment - be appreciative of yourself when you thoughtfully answer the AI questions. 

If you might recall, AI is defined as positively exploring, collectively imagining, collaboratively designing and committing to a path forward. In other words, "To change how people think, rather than what people do…" AI has four phases AKA 4-D process:

1. Discovery
2. Dream
3. Design
4. Destiny

1. Discovery

• WHY do I get out bed in the AM?
• What's my situation?
• What is my story?
• How did I get here?
• What works well for me now?
• What captivates me?
• Where am I "most at home?" 
• Where/when do I "disappear"? 
• What do I do when I have "free time"?
• What has been a high point of my career?
• What helps me maximize my performance?
• What’s the best thing about me?
• What brings me / my world / people together?
• As I think back through my career: here's a high point when I felt most effective and engaged. This is how I felt, and what made the situation possible.
• How aligned are these passions with what I'm naturally good at?
• How do I stand out?
• What am I naturally good at?
• What are my gifts / talents?
• What are my passions?
• What is my itch?
• What brings life to me?
• What talents have others noticed, yet I downplay?
• What do people compliment me on?
• What do I do during my free time?
• What's the one thing I find myself doing on a consistent basis?
• What do I respect?
• What do I value?
• What are my TOP 3 values?
• What problems am I good at solving?
• What worries me?
• What upsets me?
• What's the one thing I would not want to repeat?
• When I reflect on my life – this is when I feel / felt most alive?
• What am I naturally bad at?
• Who are / were my heroes? Why?
• What attributes to I most admire in my heroes?
• Who are/were my nemesis'?
• What attributes do I most abhor in my nemesis'? Why?

2. Dream

• What is my desire?
• What is my dream job?
• What would I love to do if…

            – No limits 
            – No failure

• What would you want your life / career look like in one, three, five years from today?
• What does success look like for me? 

            – Income 
            – Lifestyle 
            – Financial

• What gift(s) has / have the most natural connection to your goal?
• What is your ideal vision for your life / career?   
• What would you do if...?
• Describe your three concrete wishes for the future of your life / career.
• What is my message to the world?
• What will my legacy look like?
• What will people say about me when I die? 

            – Family 
            – Friends 
            – Working Associates / Colleagues    

3. Design

• What are the elements needed to create the vision?
• What is the best structure to support the vision?
• What long and short-term goals will bring the vision to life?  (Are these a real stretch?)
• What is the bridge between what is the best of what is not (Discovery) and what might be (Dream)?
• I would spend this percentage of my time here (total = 100%): 

           – People 
           – Performance 
           – Process

4. Destiny

• What's my why?
• This is my mission and vision...
• What will I do to contribute to the mission and vision?
• How am I going to deliver on this mission / vision?

Get Feedback!

When it's all said and done, ask someone you admire / respect: "I've been grappling with a personal quest for purpose and this is what I've come up with. What do you think?"

FINAL QUESTION: When will I take the first step?

Congratulations! By reading to the end of this blog…you already have!

My best to your quest!

Mark
I believe each of us is a gift. I create trusted relationships where individuals, teams and leaders NAME, CLAIM and AIM their gifts to achieve optimum ​performance.

​Interested to Learn About Yourself or Your Team? Mark is a Certified CliftonStrengths Coach, Facet5 and TotalSDI Facilitator and happy to discuss your situation.

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