Personal Thinking
Every one of us has a story to tell but many of us are reticent to do so because we feel it isn’t interesting. Actually, our story is what makes us interesting.
However, before you relate your narrative, are you able to honest with yourself?
- Are you talking about you or the person you wished you were?
- Do you know what the person you wished to be is like?
- Do you know what inspires you?
- What do you dislike?
In the quiet moments that allow you to think, what is it that comes to the front of your mind? Is it the detail of the day or can you raise your thoughts to the future?
What do you do to stimulate thought? How much do you read and what is it? Do you watch documentaries? Have you found TED talks?
Not only is it time to reveal the real you, it may be the right time to find the real you.
Finding purpose and fulfillment
Do I feel fulfilled today? Are there aspects of my life which are thoroughly fulfilling and other which fall short? What is stopping me from pursuing a certain path? If there were no constraints on me, what would I want to do, what would I like to be?
What really matters to you?
This might be about relationships, work, animals, the planet or a myriad of things. However, have you taken the time to ask yourself, deep down, what matters? For what would you risk your life? What would make you bounce out of bed in the morning? Is there anything for which you would give up time or money?
The right kind of ambition?
What do you understand 'ambition' to mean? Are your ambitions serving you - and others - well, or do you need to consider the nature and focus of your ambitions?
Should we fear our dreams?
Traditional careers advice taught us to avoid our dreams or not dream at all, and only consider the obvious, the well-known and the traditional. Is the memory of this past advice the reason why we never write the novel inside us; why we don’t we apply for that great job; why we do nothing with our ideas for a new business?
Assessing the pros and cons of your job
What do you need, in order to thrive rather than just survive at work? Everyone needs a different combination of factors to thrive at work. And every employer rates differently in what they provide.
Ways of escaping suppression
Is a lack of a job filling every aspect of your life? Is the job you have or the boss you have to endure making life horrid? Are your relationships difficult? Does it feel as if everything is coming down on top of you?
What really stirs you at work?
What stirs you at work? If the answer to this is nothing, then you have a fundamental problem. We spend too much time at work for it to be unsatisfying. Recognising money is a crucial factor, and it is better to be in a job than unemployed. Nonetheless, your job needs to provide positive stimulation as well.
How to re-invent yourself
We are all products of our history so far. We see ourselves in certain ways but not necessarily in the same ways other people see us. Do you know the principles by which you want to live? Can you describe the person you want to be?
Creating a culture of lifelong learning
Learning through uncertainty and maintaining momentum when we return to ‘normal’ – what can we do as individuals and as organisations to create a culture of lifelong learning?
Building Resilience
We all meet resistance, we all are knocked back by people or circumstances on occasions. It is how we deal with these issues that counts. In a job hunt there will probably be unsuccessful applications; is it personal, does it make you a failure, are you a bad person? Of course the answer is "No" but it can feel that way. How will you react and move forward?
Being a change enthusiast
When asked at, for example, an interview, "Do you like/adapt to change?" it is easy to say yes even if it isn’t meant. However, it will be conveyed to the questioner more powerfully if it is true and you can give real examples of you enacting it. We will help you find genuine instances of change in action.
Why are we doing this?
At Work Horizons we ask you to consider your priorities, your values and the motivation you have in your career. But what about us? Why are we, the Work Horizons team, devoting our time and energy to doing this?
Book: Beating the Wisdom of Hindsight
In his new book, Rob Ball asks, How often do you hear people say things like, ‘If only I hadn’t done…’ or ‘I wish I had done…’? How often is this person you?"
Please share your feedback
We're updating the content and code of Work Horizons all the time, so your feedback will help us do more of what's working well and improve what isn't. Please do tell us what you thought of the service, with these short questions.
Looking for something different? Return to Seeking purpose and fulfilment or right back to the full list of resources.
