Do you sometimes experience that an appeal is made on you to partake in, or attend a certain meeting or event that you are not super excited about? If you participate or get involved in something, is it to please somebody (your boss, your spouse, your friends/colleagues), or because you feel pressured to conform to the group, or because you want to?
If you feel pressured because “everybody” is doing it or is going to be there, you most probably experience a certain degree of manipulation. Therefore one of the most important questions to ask yourself is,
Why am I doing what I do?
It may apply to many different aspects of your life. Why do you get up every morning? Why do you run your business or go to work? Why should I attend a certain meeting / function? Is it really because you are interested in the subject / work and love to be involved. If it is a battle to motivate yourself to attend something, maybe it is time to reconsider.
Let us take another look at our example of the past three weeks about the overseas trip to walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain. If you want to clear your mind and you love walking long distances, you’ll most probably enjoy the experience and return refreshed and motivated.
Yet if your dream of visiting foreign countries is for sightseeing and you are averse of walking, rather stay clear when your friend(s) try to pressure you to join them on the Camino. Walking 20 – 25 km daily for two to six weeks if you hate the exercise may even ruin some good friendships.
Therefore what is your “why”? You may have a vision and a mission for something you want to achieve, but what is your purpose for doing so? If it is only for money or to impress others, you will be disillusioned. According to Simon Sinek we should Start with Why.
# In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People the author Steven Covey states that everything is created twice. He explains that for most everything we do there is a mental first creation and a physical second creation.
Before we build a house or any other building, we thoroughly plan it beforehand. The drawing of the plans, the thought processes, is the first creation. The second creation is the actual building of the house. So we actually begin with the end in mind.
And your life? Are you planning what you would like to do or achieve (would love to be remembered for) during your life or is your life planned / determined by other people and you just follow? Remember that the plans that others make on your behalf, will most probably be to their best benefit.
In other words, is your life the 2nd creation of your own plan (own 1st creation), or is your life the 2nd creation of other people’s plans and agendas? Therefore we get back to the “why”, the purpose of our actions.
I believe it is best if we can fulfil our own first creations in our lives as far as possible, rather than letting others decide about what they intend for us. The big question is, “Are you willing to spend time planning for your own life, to determine the purpose of your life, your own ‘why’?”
Knowing who you really are is paramount to understanding your purpose in life. A Career Direct Assessment will help you to know and understand yourself (or your son / daughter / spouse / employees). I can assure you, it makes all the difference to know the real you.
For a head start in business, click here to join us at the Business by the Book Course on 27 & 28 July 2018 at Val de Vie in Paarl. Entries close 20 July 2018.
