Are you unlocking your full potential? It all depends on how well aligned you are with your internal compass...
What is an internal compass? And how can it guide you out of the fog?
Part 1: Discovering Your Internal Compass
Just like a captain out at sea, we humans need a sense of where we are heading and why. The world is filled with vast opportunities; it is very easy to get lost in it all. Understanding why and where we're headed enables us to weather the roughest of storms, avoid unnecessary detours, save time and energy, all whilst giving us a sense of purpose. Living in contradiction to your compass or, lacking one altogether, can leave you feeling demoralised, uninspired, and lacking in confidence.
Our internal compass is a blend of 5 essential elements
:1. Values and Needs - What truly matters to me in life or work? Am I living against my values in any way and do any values clash?
2. Strengths - How can I strategically leverage my strengths and natural/learned abilities for success?
3. Personality and True Essence - Stripping away societal expectations, who am I, really? What environments, people, and careers resonate with my true self?
4. Interests and Passions - What sparks my enthusiasm, and how can I transform a lukewarm interest into a profound pursuit?
5. Life Mission Statement - Can I define, in a single sentence, what makes my life meaningful?
On a personal note, I spent years wondering why I couldn’t hack life and why every move felt harder than it should be. Until one day, alongside the help of some very special mentors, I was able to truly understand both who I am and who I am not. And most importantly, accept it and embrace it wholeheartedly. Understanding that certain paths I had forced myself down were not my route to success was a transformative realisation, to say the least.
Whilst living in sync, everything just flows. It is almost impossible to not be successful when in sync because it is derived from a place of your natural essence and power.
Part 2: Ready to develop the essential ingredients of your compass? I am sharing my top tips to get it right.
1. Nail down your top 5 values through online exercises or with a coach.
It is important to identify your top 5, in priority order, so they stay top of mind. It is easy to forget your values and struggle to make quick value-led decisions when they are in the dozens.
2. Note out the things in your day (life/work) that you are passionate about, even if it's an underdeveloped interest and think about how you might grow one or two of them into something bigger.
Passion and purpose aren’t found under a rock. It's built over time the more we expose ourselves to different experiences. More likely than not, a lot of new experiences won't lead anywhere, but don't give up. Lead with a curious and open mindset and you will find it.
3. Seek feedback from friends, family, and colleagues to pinpoint your top 5 strengths.Sometimes, others see greatness in us that we overlook in ourselves.
4. Dive into a personality test like the Myers-Briggs to understand your true essence.
The key is not to just read it and move on. Actually accept and embrace it. The strengths and your weaknesses. Apply it to avoid the pursuit of fitting into a mould or job that doesn't fit or comparing yourself to others with different strengths. True alignment comes from within.
5. Craft a mission statement that's succinct, memorable, and encapsulates the purpose driving you every day.
Don't hesitate to iterate it as you evolve - it's part of the process.
