| Have you ever had the feeling that you were just | | | | society or your mother think. |
| "looking and acting the part" in your work life? Or | | | | Vision-based Choice and Decisions. In the purposeful |
| that somehow you were doing activities that played | | | | life, you make decisions from a place of balanced |
| to your weaknesses and left you feeling drained? Or | | | | vision and can measure any decision against whether |
| maybe even that "if everyone would just do what I | | | | or not it is taking you toward or away from your |
| need them to...." it would all be easier and better? | | | | vision. |
| First of all, if you have, you are not alone. As an | | | | Priority-driven scheduling to build balance. Finally, with |
| executive coach, I hear many of my clients express | | | | a strong personal vision, you drive your schedule, |
| these feelings at different points in their lives. Some | | | | your schedule does not drive you. You put the things |
| of the symptoms of this type of disconnect | | | | that really matter in your plan, and you begin to |
| between "the real you" and the "you at work" are: | | | | eliminate the things that do not increase your energy |
| Overwhelm and Rush. You always have too much to | | | | and your ability to achieve the vision. |
| do, and never enough time to do it, and keeping all | | | | I have outlined 10 steps to building a career and life |
| those balls in the air is wearing you out. If you could | | | | around who you were meant to be, not necessarily |
| just add a few more hours to the day it would all | | | | who you think you are expected to be. In a coaching |
| work out... | | | | relationship, these are some of the steps we work |
| Urgency overload. Everything is important and has to | | | | on, and although you can do these things on your |
| be done now, and even small issues feel like major | | | | own, having a coach to help you through makes the |
| crises. | | | | process deeper, faster and brings tangible results |
| "Silver bullet" mentality, or "next week/month/year I | | | | earlier. Of the 10 steps, the first one is: |
| will be in control...". This can easily become a pattern | | | | 1. Stop the Roller-coaster and Focus on You |
| in your life where there is always going to be time to | | | | In order to change the way you feel and behave and |
| enjoy your life after the next (big contract | | | | become the best person you can be in your business |
| promotion/raise/startup/joint venture/client). It will all | | | | and also in your personal life, you have to begin by |
| be better as soon as.... | | | | set aside time to examine yourself and your situation |
| Externally-driven Goals and Priorities. This looks like | | | | and take the steps required to make permanent |
| striving for goals and focusing on priorities that will | | | | change. This is not a 15-minute exercise, either, but |
| garner external recognition, like a title, an income | | | | rather a long-term commitment to valuing yourself |
| level, an award - because of what other people will | | | | and your unique contributions, desires and goals. |
| think of you when you get there. | | | | If you think you don't have time for this, or you |
| The worst part is that these symptoms tend to | | | | don't have time for this "right now", look back at the |
| feed one another, and you can find yourself in a | | | | list of "Driven Life" characteristics and realize that you |
| spiral of stress very quickly. I call this the "Driven | | | | can be stuck in this pattern for life unless you find a |
| Life". | | | | way to make a change now, because now is all there |
| But, there is an alternative I call the "Purposeful Life", | | | | is. |
| and its symptoms include: | | | | In fact, this exercise of becoming the business |
| Long-Term Focus on Fundamentals. This means | | | | person you were meant to be can be started in a |
| looking out into the future and working on things that | | | | few hours, but to create meaningful change, I |
| form the foundation for achieving your long-term | | | | suggest you give yourself a year to allow your logical |
| vision. | | | | and emotional minds to collaborate on your vision of |
| Internally-driven Goals and Priorities. This means | | | | yourself, and to fully integrate new thinking and new |
| setting and prioritizing goals that are based on your | | | | habits in a sustainable way. Plan on at least a couple |
| personal vision, not based on externally or | | | | of hours a week over a few months to start. Build |
| "system"-driven criteria for success or achievement. | | | | this time into your schedule - what work could be |
| What is really important to you, regardless of what | | | | more important? |