Clarity Breeds Confidence
Unclear?
It's a proven fact that people who are clear on their goals and do the work necessary to achieve them have more success in their lives. It is not as simple as just deciding what you want, but also knowing how to get there. This blog post will discuss three questions that can help you be clearer about your life path and give you confidence along the way.
Who are you?
The first question anyone must ask themselves is, "Who Am I?". So let me ask you the question, "Who are you?". I'm not talking about your title at work or church or the role you play in your family as mother or sister...no I want to know "Who are you?" Do you know who you are?
Knowing yourself is the first step to success and without clarity in this area, it will be difficult to find your true path. Knowing what makes up your personality, strengths and weaknesses can help outline a clear picture of where you should go next, who you need to surround yourself with and what environments you need to stay away from.
If you are someone who loves people, sitting behind a desk in a corner for 8-12 hours a day will feel like torture, no matter how good the pay check is. You are on a path that won't benefit you or others.
On the other hand, if you love to be creative and working with people in an environment where there is always something new going on...then it is up to you to find a career, an organization and place that fits you. In this environment, you will thrive, it will feel effortless, like being at home.
There is no right or wrong answer out of these two examples; it's all about knowing what is right for you.
Where are you?
Next question, one must ask themselves "where am I?". Where are you in your life today and how does this position relate to the goals that you want to achieve? One cannot reach their destination without starting out on the correct path. The right path is determined by, your current location.
If you are someone who thrives while, lets say playing basketball, however for sports world at 40 plus years old, the probability someone will sign you to a professional contract is low. But if you know you have to be connected to the game of basketball, competition, maybe coaching is a career you need to pursue, maybe starting a training business is a way for you to stay connected to the game.
As you get older, life events occur (ie. marriage, new baby) it is important to be realistic about your goals and aspirations. Do they need to be adjusted? Do my goals fit into my current circumstances in my life?
If your goal has always been to play professional basketball even though you are now retired, that is unlikely to happen but perhaps being a coach on the team might be an achievable aspiration for someone over 40 years old.
Where are you going?
Lastly, the third question is "where do I want to go?". This will be your end goal. If for example one doesn't know or isn't sure what they want in life then living without a clear purpose is like driving on ice and not knowing where you're headed...you can slide around but eventually you'll find yourself back where you started.
The key is to know what it is that you want, then work on the steps needed to achieve those goals.
When you are clear on your goals, what you want to accomplish and when...now waking up everyday has a purpose. You know your goal, you know what you are working towards and you know where you want to go. You can begin to see achieving your goal is possible. Your actions in each day are more meaningful from what you do, to who you partner with.
Confidence in the path ahead stems from clarity. When you have an idea of where you are, where you want to go and who you are then it is simple to move forward with confidence on your journey.
