Decisions, Decisions: Foundational questions for elucidating your next-phase-of-life goal, Part I

As I’ve been working through decisions leading to the next phase of my life, which includes what I think of as my “Capstone Career Move”, I’ve been employing my executive coaching experience to self-coach. In my coaching practice, I work with clients to move their view from achieving work-life balance to integration of their values and action toward alignment with their primary goal. Even when that goal seems unattainable in the near term (i.e. “reach enlightenment”), using it as our North Star helps shape the next stage of life to get us closer, and helps ensure the lessons we learn are maximally helpful and minimally painful.

I’ve put together three sets of questions to gain clarity on who I am (or aspire to be), what components support that becoming and how I am willing and able to participate. Together, these have helped me define a clear next-stage-of-life goal, and are providing a framework for sorting through options and designing my next-stage life-business plan.

I Invite you to work through these yourself. Who knows, maybe you’ll get clear on a new direction (or maybe even decide to participate in what’s emerging for me)?

The first set of questions came from an interview with Marty Travis on the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast (one of my regular listens). Marty operates Spence Farm in Livingston County, IL, between Chicago and Bloomington.

These three questions are designed to identify the fundamental goals that define who we are. The methodology for answering them helps to access our subconscious, gut instincts and get around our conscious “shoulds” and preconceptions. It is important to follow the instructions! I recommend going through the exercise once with a focus on your personal life and a second time focusing on your work or career.

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Methodology: Answer each question in 90 seconds. Use a stopwatch and stick to the time. It is important to write down your answers (or record and type up verbatim). No editing! Go through the set of questions once for your personal life and a second time for your career/work life.

1. What is it you would like to experience?

2. How would you desire to grow?

3. What do you desire to contribute?

Some follow up questions for pondering, or even better, discussing with trusted others:

• What theme or message pops out for you as you read through these?

• How well do your personal answers align with your work answers? Is there a common desire or need between them?

• How can you modify your current work situation to (even modestly) align more with your personal answers?

Part 2 will go more into specific components, develop a first draft of your next-phase goal and begin to prioritize amongst needs and desires.