Questions to Uncover YOUR Calling / Purpose / Why...

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Mark Myette, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.

Since we are in the age of self-help / self-diagnosis I want to provide a bit of a frame work to help you take the FIRST step toward a contented / fulfilled life and answering the MOST important question you should answer: What’s my calling / purpose / why?

Questions to ask yourself BEFORE you begin:

What needs to be done?
Is it a WANT or NEED?
What challenge(s) am I trying to solve?
Why do I think I have a challenge?
What data do I have to support this claim?
What do I hope the personal assessment will accomplish? Or,
What does success look like as a result of doing this personal assessment? Or,
What do I look like transformed?
By going on this quest, do I have buy-in from those closest to me?
How will those closest to me support this effort?
How committed am I about rolling up my sleeves to do this assessment AND follow up AND follow through?
What’s the worst thing that will happen if I do nothing?
Is it a motivation challenge or a skill challenge?
Am I willing to put myself out there to learn about me?
Is it worth it?

If the answers above SUPPORT you continuing down this self-assessment / evaluation mode keep reading, roll up your sleeves and begin your quest!

Author notes:

1. People have asked me if I’m on a spiritual journey through my blog and website. I submit I have a faith I want to continue to nurture, grow, and share with those open to learn. That said, I encourage EVERYONE to “lean in” on THEIR faith – whatever it may be. When we do that – this “thing” around calling, purpose, and why seem to become LESS ominous.
2. Answering the questions that follow are an entry point to connecting to your purpose / meaning / why…the beginning!
3. IF you find yourself getting mentally “log-jammed” may I suggest a coach? If not, it is my hope these questions get you to, or closer to, a point of clarity!
4. If yes, I would be happy to be a sounding board for a complimentary 30 minute call. (Contact info below.)
5. You will notice there are PLENTY of thought-provoking questions to ponder. Some of which overlap one another – by design.
6. Also no accident, as you work through DESIGN and DESTINY the number of questions become more limited since you’ll probably need an objective resource / sounding board to reflect, process, land on the answers uncovered in Steps 1 and 2…

Take Your Position!

So, in keeping with our previous post around appreciative inquiry (AI) – Your Route to Empowerment – be appreciative of yourself when you thoughtfully answer the AI questions.

If you might recall, AI is defined as positively exploring, collectively imagining, collaboratively designing and committing to a path forward. In other words, “To change how people think, rather than what people do…” AI has four phases AKA 4-D process:

1. Discovery
2. Dream
3. Design
4. Destiny

1. Discovery

WHY do I get out bed in the AM?
What’s my situation?
What is my story?
How did I get here?
What works well for me now?
What captivates me?
Where am I “most at home?”
Where/when do I “disappear”?
What do I do when I have “free time”?
What has been a high point of my career?
What helps me maximize my performance?
What’s the best thing about me?
What brings me / my world / people together?
As I think back through my career: here’s a high point when I felt most effective and engaged. This is how I felt, and what made the situation possible.
How aligned are these passions with what I’m naturally good at?
How do I stand out?
What am I naturally good at?
What are my gifts / talents?
What are my passions?
What is my itch?
What brings life to me?
What talents have others noticed, yet I downplay?
What do people compliment me on?
What do I do during my free time?
What’s the one thing I find myself doing on a consistent basis?
What do I respect?
What do I value?
What are my TOP 3 values?
What problems am I good at solving?
What worries me?
What upsets me?
What’s the one thing I would not want to repeat?
When I reflect on my life – this is when I feel / felt most alive?
What am I naturally bad at?
Who are / were my heroes? Why?
What attributes to I most admire in my heroes?
Who are/were my nemesis’?
What attributes do I most abhor in my nemesis’? Why?

2. Dream

What is my desire?
What is my dream job?
What would I love to do if…
– No limits
– No failure
What would you want your life / career look like in one, three, five years from today?
What does success look like for me?
– Income
– Lifestyle
– Financial
What gift(s) has / have the most natural connection to your goal?
What is your ideal vision for your life / career?
What would you do if…?
Describe your three concrete wishes for the future of your life / career.
What is my message to the world?
What will my legacy look like?
What will people say about me when I die?
– Family
– Friends
– Working Associates / Colleagues

3. Design

What are the elements needed to create the vision?
What is the best structure to support the vision?
What long and short-term goals will bring the vision to life? (Are these a real stretch?)
What is the bridge between what is the best of what is not (Discovery) and what might be (Dream)?
I would spend this percentage of my time here (total = 100%):
– People
– Performance
– Process

4. Destiny

What’s my why?
This is my mission and vision…
What will I do to contribute to the mission and vision?
How am I going to deliver on this mission / vision?

Get Feedback!

When it’s all said and done, ask someone you admire / respect: “I’ve been grappling with a personal quest for purpose and this is what I’ve come up with. What do you think?”

FINAL QUESTION: When will I take the first step?

Congratulations! By reading to the end of this blog…you already have!

My best to your quest!

Mark
I believe each of us is a gift. I create trusted relationships where individuals, teams and leaders NAME, CLAIM and AIM their gifts to achieve optimum ​performance.