Has anyone ever asked you want kind of leader you want to be? How about what kind of parent, or student, or roommate, or any other role you can think of? Have you asked yourself?
If your answer is yes, good for you. I hope you’re living up to your expectations. I suspect the majority of people you know haven’t considered the question, and many might not even know where to begin to find an answer.
Why it it important?
If you don’t know what kind of person you want to be, how do you know if you’re succeeding? How do you know if your behavior is congruent to your goals? You probablydo know, but maybe you’re not paying attention. Luckily, success leaves clues.
Sleepless nights, persistent stomachaches and general unease are a few hints that your external actions are not acting in harmony with your internal desires. Even if you’ve never spoken of your dreams to anyone else, your mind knows. When you’re feeling dissatisfaction, that’s your mind telling your body, “We’re not in alignment.” If you’ve never articulated your picture of success, never set your personal operating system, you’re bound to fall off the rails from time to time, because you’re acting on whim instead of purpose.
When you give serious thought to what kind of (fill in the blank) you want to be, you begin to sketch an outline in your mind. Here are some of the variables to consider what goes into your point of view;
- What are your strengths? The characteristics that you’re so confident you possess that thinking about them makes you smile to yourself.
- How do you most effectively influence people? In what ways are you able to successfully persuade people to agree with you?
- What’s your ideal world look like? What if there were no constraints, nothing to get in the way? We know there are always barriers, but for now, pretend there aren’t. What would that look like?
- Who are you compelled to serve? Who are the people, or groups of people, that are important to you, and who you want to help succeed?
Review your answers and turn those insights into an intelligible sentence, or paragraph, or manifesto. These seedlings of a thought begin to develop into your point of view.
Perspectives are unique and individualized gifts, you’re supposed to unwrap them and use them. When you know what kind of person you want to be in the different roles of your life, and you’re clear on your point of view, your decision-making becomes clearer and your confidence increases. Things may not get easier for you, but they will be simpler. Find your point of view and act on purpose.