Personal Goalsetting

Finding purpose

When you are absolutely clear about what you want to achieve, you can then formulate a solid plan to get there and take the right action to produce the right result. When times are hard or when they are changing, it is easy to lose your sense of purpose.

Activities:

Write your story

Imagine that you are sitting down with a friend in 12 months’ time and talking about what happened.

• What would you like to share with them about how you have grown stronger as a result of this difficult time?
• What will you be doing differently?
• How have your friendships grown?
• What have you learned about yourself?
• What are you most thankful for?

Revising your priorities

Significant and unexpected change has a habit of hurling us into places that we had no intention of going. You might have found yourself in situations or doing things that you would not have ever believed possible.

Reflect on those unexpected places you have found yourself. Perhaps you have worked from home for the first time. Maybe you have had to use skills that you’ve never tried out before. No doubt some things have been hard, although perhaps some things have also been pleasant.

Notice what you have done that has been unexpected – at home and at work – and reflect on what you would like to continue.

Life Purpose Questions Activity:

Can you answer the following?

• Who are you?
• What do you do?
• Who do you do it for?
• What do those people want and need?
• How do those people change as a result?
• Are you satisfied with the answers?
• Are you doing things that you love or are passionate about?

If you answer no to either of those last 2 questions head to the core section and complete the Values exercise (click here). Use your career as the context.

Your Purpose – What’s your ‘Why?’

Every move we make, in our career or life, should be in line with our personal purpose. You exist for a reason – what is that reason? Ultimately you will look back on your journey and your past and reflect on what you have achieved in line with your purpose.

Write out what you want key people in your life to say about the impact you have had. Imagine that you have all those people together in a room to celebrate you (this might be in 5 years, 10 years or 30 years – you decide). Those people might include partners, children, family, friends, community, charities, customers, colleagues, etc. There is no right or wrong on this one – it’s your journey and your life and it should include you. What impact do you want to have had on all/some of these people?