Whether you’re a high school graduate deciding what to do next, a college student deciding whether or not to accept a free internship, a young woman whose hair is falling out because of stress or a business owner who simply can’t escape the day to day pressures of putting out fires, one thing is prevalent…
You lack direction.
Establishing what many refer to as your “true north” is important.
I prefer to refer to it as a waypoint because it describes a point in the future that you would like to reach, not a final destination..
The most common answer I hear when I ask people how they’re doing is “fine.”
I naturally help people find a new “fine” so they can begin to work toward that. This can be accomplished in a number of ways.
1) Write down 2-10 characteristics that you would like to have at some point in the future, but say it in the present tense, as though it has already happened. (I am_______.)
2) Write down 2-10 things you would like to have people say about you, again, in the present tense. (People say that I’m _____.)
3) Write down 2-10 “past tense” things that “future you” has accomplished. (I can’t believe that I _________.)
Place all these on paper, hand written. Then read them every day, put them away forever or put them somewhere where you can read them in the future.
What you do with the list really doesn’t matter, because your life will begin to change from the moment you see these things appear on paper.
The exercise will help you define who it is that you really want to be. You might not be good at it at first… if not, tell yourself that you are.
As you write these characteristics, things people say about you and things that you’ve accomplished down and read them back to yourself (as often as you choose), you won’t notice it, but your brain will begin working on making them a reality.
While you sleep, your brain will actually be working on ways to become that person.
Every choice you make will become True / False — Will this help me become that person that I want to be or not?
You’ll make healthier decisions, have better relationships, grow tired of bad relationships and seize opportunities you wouldn’t have recognized before you had direction.
P.S. It works best if future you is:
1) Patient
2) Grateful
3) Optimistic
