Career Success: Clarifying Direction

8/3/2019 Career Success: Clarifying Direction

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Career Success Clarifying Your Directio

WRITTEN BY STEVE SNYDER & KATE BLAKE EDITED BY CLAIRE TADYCH

Volume 1 o

CLARIFYING YOUR DIRECTION

CAREER SUCCESS


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2 Clarifying Your Direction Career Success

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written

permission from author.

Typeset in Georgia,

Design by Monica Chow


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Career Success Clarifying Your Direction

If You Dont Know Where You Are Going, You

Might End Up Somewhere Else

Yogi Berra


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While searching

or our vocation,

we wonder who we

truly are, but dont

schedule valuable

time to reect.

ClariyingDirection

There seems to be some type of invisible benchmark that we measure our-

selves against. It can be different depending on our particular circumstances

or environment, but when we take a deeper look, there are many common

themes. Primarily, we feel that our lives should be different from what they

are right now. Many of whom we consider to be the most successful in our

culture, those working 70 hours a week and earning well into the six gures,

dont seem to know what they want and yet cant stop long enough to gure

it out. Mid-career corporate ladder climbers worry about what theyve had to

give up to get where they are and struggle to simply keep up with the mortgage

payment. Mothers who left the workplace to focus on family feel their skills

have become obsolete and that there is no space for them to re-enter the work

force. People in all professions, who relied on the security of their jobs, were

rudely awakened from complacency when the economy started to crumble in

2008. Even those who have taken the big leap and started their own compa-

nies often feel overwhelmed by the multitude of decisions to be made and the

pressures of simply staying aoat. The lucky ones, who have reached nan-

cial stability and have the freedom to focus on other areas of their lives, nd

theyre plagued with worry about dividing their attention for too long. Success-

ful executives, from all industries, worry about retirement because so much of

who they are is tied up in what theyve done.

While searching for our vocation, we wonder who we truly are, but dont

schedule valuable time to reect. We are easily distracted by the 24/7 news

cycles, the pressure to keep up with the Jones and the constant battle to nd

time for the things we actually enjoy. Instead of asking the tough questions

about what we truly want for ourselves and taking the necessary risks to reach

those goals, we rely on our past behavior and experiences. Living on autopilot,

we take the ight plan most travelled and depend on the pattern weve always

followed.

Fear of what we might lose, what we might have to give keeps us from answer-

ing the simple questions Who am I?, What do I want? The answers to


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Clariying Direction

these questions are a foundational piece of our lives. Without these answers,

without a strong and unwavering grasp of who we are and what we want for

ourselves, it is next to impossible to create our success.

It is from here that we begin the process of clarifying direction. Clarity arrives

only when you are completely open and truthful with self. Keeping you on

track, truth is your internal compass that automatically points you in the right

direction. A commitment to truth is especially helpful in times of uncertainty

and transition. In these moments, there is no safety net of the past, theres

only the open road of now and the future. Without a foundation in truth, fear,

doubt, and anxiety become the basis for our decision making. It is with truth

that we are able to successfully face the challenges, transition, and changes in

our lives.


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You show up

authentically in your

own lie.

What gets in the way of knowing who you are and what you want? The short

answer is, you do! You get in your own way. Otherwise, you would be clear

about your destination, there would be no uncertainty, no vacillation. With

clarity you dont allow other peoples agenda, desires, or situations to lead you.

You lead the way. You show up authentically in your own life. You do and say

what is important to you.

Five years from now your life wont be the same as it is today. Like most, you

probably hope for a brighter future, lled with improvements and upgrades.

But, even with the best of intentions, substantial change is difcult unless we

are pushed to achieve it. For many that push comes in the form of a crisis: los-

ing your job, ling for divorce, experiencing a tragedy. Crisis creates a sense of

urgency that motivates us to step up, to make those long overdue changes, to

break out of our normal routine.

The reason it typically takes a crisis to implement change is because it can be

tricky to reshape our habits. For most, it becomes a struggle with fear. We all

have a fear of the unknown. Change requires we give up the comfort of the fa-miliar, for the risk of the unknown. It takes bold action to enter this space and

can feel pointless. When we are confronted with change, we immediately panic

and think about what we could lose rather than what we could gain.

We are creatures of habit. Our brain is hard wired to repeat behaviors and

to create patterns. Our past experiences become the template for condence

and assurance. If we are to implement change we must leave the safety of the

familiar for uncertainty of the unknown. And, it can be terrifying and depend-

ing on your experience, it may be difcult to invite change and adopt new pat-

terns. But, the rewards are many. Moving beyond the fear, beyond attachment

to what might be lost, makes way for might be gained. It makes way for the

freedom to discover the you in your life.

Whats GettingIn The Way?


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The key to taking control of your future is to determine the truth about who

you are, where you are and what you want. The answers to these questions

will create a distinct and individual roadmap based on four things: your pas-

sions, strengths, opportunities and obligations. With our one-on-one clients

we help them discover what we call the Sweet Spot (Adapted from Ukleja

and Lorber Who Are You? What Do You Want?). Lets take a look at that now.

Much to the contrary of what we have all been taught, true clarity around what

will make us happy, is not determined by external factors. Understanding

what we want for ourselves can only be determined by looking in the mirror.

Job titles, degrees earned and even salary increases are only temporary xes.

Long term sustainable change comes from a clear understanding of how we

tick as individuals, the differences that make us unique and remarkable and

creating a plan of action based on that understanding.

In one form or another, were all going after something. Thats part of being

alive. As long as were living and acting, we are headed toward a goal. Were

participating in the stream of life and will end up somewhere. Navigating thewaters of choice comes down to clearly dening what we want and creating a

plan to arrive there. Creating the future you want must start by dening suc-

cess on your terms however.

The risk of moving ahead without a clear denition is doing all the hard work

and receiving ambiguous results. If you dont dene success for yourself it

will be impossible to know when you have actually achieved it. Whats worse,

you may wake up one day and realize that the dream you have been chasing

isnt even yours. Our society exerts constant pressure to be successful, which

is why dening what success means to you is vital to your future. If you dont

know what you want or if it is unclear it is impossible to show up authen-

tically in your own life, rather, you are simply reacting to everyone elses

desires, schedules and requests.

Whats Gettingin the Way?


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What does success look like to you-- not your family, your parents, or your

friends but to you? What is it for you? What is it based on? You must start

here rst. Success can be very different for each of us and dening it for our-

selves is probably not something we do on a regular basis. Lets break it down.



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FOR REFLECTION

Where are the dierences between what I say and what I do?

What does success look like to me? How do I defne it?

What is it based on?

What truth about my lie do I avoid exploring? Why?

What decisions and choices have allowed me to get to where I am today?

Would I repeat them all? Why or why not?


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We are more effective when we focus on and pursue the things that we are

skilled at its how our brain is wired. Typically people think they can identify

their individual strengths. In theory, it should be easy to recognize our abili-

ties. . When asked for examples however, most struggle to create a list. There

are a few reasons this can occur:

We are taught at a young age to focus on our weaknesses. Well-intended

adults believe that we will get ahead when we expend most of our energy in the

areas where we are most challenged. In the long run however, we dont make

our biggest contributions in our areas of weakness. We can overcome weak-

nesses, but rarely do we excel in them or end up building our lives and work

around these activities.

Secondly, since weve always had these strengths and because they are innate

talents, we dont always recognize them. Additionally, weve been told all our

lives that we have to work hard to be good at things and as a result we do not

develop the natural skills that we enjoy. When our efforts are channeled in to

our weaknesses then our natural talents can suffer from lack of growth.

We logically assume others can do the same things because it comes so easily

to us. We can become discouraged by the prospect of many competitive peers

and put these activities on hold

Finally, we discount our talents as strengths because we receive some type

of innate pleasure from them. Many times we have watched those around us

struggle with work and life. Because it feels good when we do things well, we

continue the activity and practice the skill, but potentially do not recognize it

for its true value.

When identifying our strengths, it is important to be realistic. We dont want

to eliminate potential areas for development, but it is possible to waste time,

money and effort pursuing unrealistic goals. We are more productive and

engaged when we pursue the things that we are skilled at, so lets focus there.

Because it eels good

when we do things

well, we continue

the activity and

practice the skill, but

potentially do not

recognize it or its

true value.

IdentiyingStrengths


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The Drivers Seat

Take a moment and brag about yourself while no one else is listening. Dont

limit your strengths and remember to pay attention to the areas where you

stand out from your peers. How are you different from them? What do you do

better? It is always helpful to gain perspective from others, so take some time

to ask people in your personal and professional networks what they see as

your strengths. Remember to include: experience, interests, education/knowl-

edge, personality traits, competencies, abilities, skill sets, aptitudes.


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The Drivers Seat

FOR REFLECTION

What do other people say you are good at?

What have you done in the past that has given you a sense o satisaction?

What can I do that sets me apart rom my peers?

The last time you worked in a group, what was assigned to you?

What are you known or doing well?

When was the last time you lost track o time?

What were you doing?


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RecognizingPassion

One of the most important pieces to acquiring success in todays world is nd-

ing passion in what you do. Identifying what lights you up inside and struc-

turing those activities into your daily life is a cure-all. When you are engaged

and focused, little can slow you down. When you are fully committed, with

meaning and purpose, the voice in your head becomes quiet. Doubt, fear and

judgment no longer navigate your choices and decisions.

Additionally, living your passion gives you endless energy and happiness.

We are going to take a look at the happiness factor a little later, but for now,

identifying the things that allow you to feel engaged, propel you to be inspired.

Plugging in to your passions drives massive action; it gives you patience, cour-

age, and the consistency needed for success. We are captivated by our pas-

sions and when we engage in those activities, success is inevitable. When done

correctly, passionate action ultimately equates to nancial freedom.

We want to be realistic when looking at our passions, but its important not

to limit ourselves. In an attempt to be practical, we can end up playing it too

safe and not taking the necessary risks to push ourselves towards the nextlevel. We need to think big! Allow yourself to go there. We can always act

smaller later.

... living your

passion gives you

endless energy and

happiness.


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RecognizingPassion

FOR REFLECTION

What makes you eel good about yoursel?

What would you do or ree?

What makes you want to get out o bed in the morning?

What things will you talk about to ANYONE who will listen?

What are fve non-negotiable values in my lie?

What things, events or activities make you eel ully alive?

What have I set aside? Why? What can I do now to reverse that?

What would be my perect day at work? At home?

What changes would I make i I was guaranteed success in each o these areas o my lie?


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Opportunity is dened as an event with a good chance for advancement or

progress. Opportunities surround each of us every day, in all aspects of our

lives. We should never underestimate however, our ability to ignore the obvi-

ous. It would be great if there was a big red blinking sign, with arrows pointing

- THIS DIRECTION! The reality is that we are lucky if we get a small inkling,

maybe a moment that has us take pause. If we dont acknowledge it however,

the eeting sensation may never return.

When looking for opportunities in business or on a personal level, you want

to look at trends and changes you predict will occur. What is up and coming?

What changes will have a larger impact? What are truly changes, not simply

trends? What direction are we moving in as a culture, as a community, as a

family unit?

Opportunity is dened as an event with a good chance for advancement or

progress. Opportunities surround each of us every day, in all aspects of our

lives. We should never underestimate however, our ability to ignore the obvi-

ous. It would be great if there was a big red blinking sign, with arrows pointing- THIS DIRECTION! The reality is that we are lucky if we get a small inkling,

maybe a moment that has us take pause. If we dont acknowledge it however,

the eeting sensation may never return.

When looking for opportunities in business or on a personal level, you want

to look at trends and changes you predict will occur. What is up and coming?

What changes will have a larger impact? What are truly changes, not simply

trends? What direction are we moving in as a culture, as a community, as a

family unit? In this section we will look at weaknesses as well. Although self-

evaluation can be intimidating, acknowledging your own weaknesses is not

necessarily a bad thing. Identifying your weakness can be a gift and should

be considered the presentation of an opportunity. Down playing weaknesses

can jeopardize goals and extend completion dates. Acknowledging a space for

growth, a skill to be perfected or an area for improvement creates an opportunity.

When looking or

opportunities in

business or on a

personal level,

you want to look at

trends and changes

you predict will occur.

RealizingOpportunity


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Companies that ignored the opportunities to meet consumer needs through

creating a presence on the internet, thereby allowing themselves to compete

in the virtual world, have lost market share and many have ultimately closed

their doors. Those who analyzed trends and created opportunities by upgrad-

ing their skills and learning to compete in new arenas, ourished. You need to

do this on an individual basis as well.


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FOR REFLECTION

What strengths can be turned into opportunities?

How can you create opportunities by enhancing your strengths?

What opportunities can be created by managing or eliminating weaknesses?

How can you prepare yoursel or change? What can you improve upon?

What is currently happening in your company that may be an opportunity or you?

What is happening within your industry?

What is happening in an industry you have had your eye on or a while?

What political, economic, technological, demographic, or social trends can I use to my advantage?

Are there imminent changes in your personal lie that will present an opportunity upon which you could capital-ize?

When current goals are met, will their accomplishment present opportunities upon which you could capitalize?

What is your current success based on?

What have you not been successul with in the past?

Which opportunity can you exploit most quickly and most proftably?


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Never before have we had so little time in which

to do so much

Franklin D. Roosevelt

It is considered standard operating procedure today for us to be living in an

apparent state of fast forward. We microwave our food, cant fathom the idea

of a dial up internet connection, nor tolerate lines longer than ve minutes.

We are constantly on the go, trying to t it all in and never measuring up. At

times, our lives seem to be whirling out of control and the competing demands

of work, home, and family are more than we can handle.

Clutter and a sense of overwhelm are created because most of us have learned

to adapt our schedules to meet other peoples expectations and needs. We

over obligate ourselves and set ourselves up for failure. By trying to do every-

thing for everyone we end up doing very little for very few.

Clutter is like an overgrown garden. Only when you take time to pull the

weeds will fresh ideas have a better chance of growing. Ukleja/Lorber What

Are You? What Do You Want?

Coming to terms with the chaos means somethings got to give. Ultimately,

the things that dont t need to be eliminated: the things that we are doing

that we dont enjoy; the activities that are not fullling and propelling us for-

ward. The secret to achieving our desires and goals is elimination. The most

successful amongst us are determined and selective.

When we are distracted from using our strengths, engaging in our passions

and recognizing opportunity, we lose sight of who we are and what we want.

Since when is doing more the solutions to too much?

When we are

distracted rom

using our strengths,

engaging in our

passions and

recognizing

opportunity, we lose

sight o who we areand what we want.

Removing theClutter


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Removing theClutter

FOR REFLECTION

What is on my schedule that doesnt need to be there?

What things can be removed, or at least cut back?

Are any o the experiences that I would like to have, that I listed on my Passions Assessment reected on my sched-

ule? Weekly? Monthly? Yearly?

What am I doing that I dont enjoy doing?

What am I doing that I do enjoy doing?

What are some things that I would like to do that all under the category o now or never?

What is the percent o my eort that produces 8 percent o the results I want to accomplish?

What are the things that other people want me to do?

What are the things that I want to do?


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Once identied, our strengths and passions need to be developed and nur-

tured. This takes insight, intention and discipline. Obligations and oppor-

tunities however are more exible and as you may have already experienced,

when times are tough we are forced to cut back. Many previous obligations are

reduced or eliminated. These moments allow us to realize the essential pieces

necessary to achieve our goals and let go of the unessential. Opportunities will

come and go. There is no steadfast rule to determine when the time is right; if

the risk will be advantageous. What is important is to be awake to the possi-

bilities.

Compile your answers from each of the above sections. The overlapping area

from each section is where you will nd your Sweet Spot. What ideas comple-

ment each other? What words or phrases are repeated across your answers?

What common themes do you see represented? What passion can be support-

ed with a strength to meet an opportunity?

Your passions and strengths are the biggest indicator of your personal path.

And when you take on an activity or a job that utilizes the four quadrants,youre living in your Sweet Spot. The more the four overlap, the larger your

Sweet Spot becomes, so continue to push beyond your boundaries.

Your passions and

strengths are the

biggest indicator o

your personal path.

Your Sweet Spot


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Your Sweet Spot

STRENGTHS

OPPORTUNITIES

OBLIGATIONS


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Our core values

however tap into

the core o who you

are, what you stand

or and what is

important to you.

Most of us can easily identify what we value in life. Our core values however

tap into the core of who you are, what you stand for and what is important to

you. They exemplify the essence of who you are and can act as guiding prin-

ciples to live by.

Your values are essential guideposts navigating the course of your career and

your life. When understood and utilized as a factor in the choices you make,

values can help guide you toward what is important and holds meaning for

you in your life.

Listed below are several questions that will help you outline and create struc-

ture around your values. Take the necessary time to identify the characteris-

tics, qualities and traits that you admire the most in the people in your life.

Core Values


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FOR REFLECTION

Ask yoursel who do I most respect and admire in the world, whether I know them personally or not. Who are they?

What is it about them that you most admire?

Core Values

Person Characteristic

.

.

.

.

5.

.

.

.

.

5.

Think about a person that you know, who you hold in high regard. What are the top three personal qualities or traits t

have that you are attracted to?

. . .


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Core Values

.

.

.

.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

.

. . .

Imagine or a moment that you were attending your own uneral, as a riend or associate, and you were asked to give a

eulogy about yoursel. What qualities or traits would you most want to have said about you?

I you were to ask your best riend what three qualities about you they appreciate the most, how would they answer?


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Core Values

I you were given the power to ensure that humankind expressed fve qualities or values in all o their actions rom t

time orward, what would they be?

I money were no object and you had such an abundant supply o wealth that you could do anything, what values wo

guide your decisions?

.

.

.

.

5.

.

.

.

.

5.


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Core Values

Now, utilizing the answers to the questions above list your top values in lie?


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Core Values

Oten, our thinking mind or ego takes the lead on answering questions, and when we are talking about values, we wan

the response that resonates with our deeper sel. In order to bridge the gap, answer the series o our questions listed

below. The point here is to not over- think your answers, so just go with your gut.

Write down the frst thing that pops in to your head, even i it doesnt seem to make sense:

QUESTION 1 what does mean to you?

QUESTION 2 why is important to you?

QUESTION 3 what does give you?

QUESTION 4 how does make you eel?

Continue with the subsequent questions until you identiy the core value.

Now looking at how you answered questions -, what is the underlying value or you?

EXAMPLE

I value riendship.

Question : what does riendship mean to you?

Friendship means I am accepted.

Question : why is being accepted important to you?

Being accepted is important because I can be authentic.

Question : what does being authentic give you?

Being authentic gives me confdence.

Question : how does confdence make you eel? (What does it give you a sense o?)

Confdence makes me eel empowered.

Empowered is the core value


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Core Values

Now make a list o your top values.


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Core Values

From the list o your top values, i you could only be assured o having three in your lie what would they be?

.

.

.

MY TOP 3 VALUES IN LIFE ARE

. . .

Does your career and lie support these top three values currently?

I you are in a place o transition, your core values can be used to help guide you in making your next move. Know-ing what you value most and ensuring that your actions encompass those values are key components to clariying th

direction in which you want to head.


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How many people

do you know who

absolutely love what

they do?

In Monetize Your Passion, author Rich German talks about the Happiness

Factor. He points out that in general, its pretty safe to say that we all want the

same things in life. Many of us stumble when it comes to which path to take,

but overall, the bottom line comes down to freedom and happiness. Those two

requests tend to show up as the desire for good health, a great family, nancial

security or loving relationships. But when we dig a little deeper into why we

want what we want, ultimately we wind up returning to these two essential

desires.

Unfortunately, somehow in the process of living, the idea of just being happy,,

enjoying the experience of life, seems to eludes most of us and its become an

epidemic! Think about it. How many people do you know who are truly hap-

py? How many people would you rate, on a scale of 1 -10, an eight or higher

when you think about how happy they are in their lives? How many people

do you know who absolutely love what they do? A few? One?

You probably know many more people whose lives are dominated by fear,

worry, and doubt than those who are living completely joyful, fun, passionatelives. People start each morning dreading their day and go to a job they can

barely tolerate. Then they come home at night feeling unsatised due to of a

lack of job fulllment caused by the absence of purpose. Getting up the next

morning, they repeat the process and may not even realize that they are able to

break the cycle.

German shares that we have been programmed to believe through years of

school and work that the preceding scenario is normal and taught to feel guilty

for daring to think there are other options. The reality is that this option has

been eliminated over the past few decades. Working at the same company for

more than 5 years is considered a detriment in todays fast paced, ever chang-

ing global economy. The days of working until retirement, getting the gold

watch, and then retiring to Florida have ended. What is the new approach?

The HappinessFactor


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The HappinessFactor

Your primary focus should be to be happy. It should be one of your highest

goals because when you feel good, life is easy, there is no struggle, you are

naturally happy. From this natural happiness you have a better perspective

on the options and choices that lay in front of you. The old adage, Attitude is

everything truly applies here. You are more likely to get what you are aiming

for when you have a positive mind set. Whats more, your state of happiness is

determined by your dominant emotion.

The dominant emotion that you experience on a daily basis inuences all of

your choices and decisions. The way in which you carry yourself, the actions

that you take and the conversations that you have are all affected by your dom-

inant emotion. Makes sense, right the happier you are the more you enjoy life.

When we experience primarily negative emotions, life is a struggle.

Whats great about this scenario is that we have a choice. Your dominant

emotional state is a habit you create. It is a choice. On a daily basis you can

make a conscious choice to be happy or to focus on negative emotion. By

consciously choosing your emotional state and creating positive habits, ourenergy level will naturally rise. Having high energy is critical to your success

and principal to clarifying direction. When your energy is high, you feel great

and your results reect it. Conversely, when your energy is less than desirable,

your attitude and results will suffer as a result.


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The HappinessFactor

FOR REFLECTION

Do you habitually eel good or bad?

What is my typical energy level on a given day? What can I do to raise it?

What tasks that I enjoy doing have I scheduled on my calendar on a daily basis?

What tasks can I add in?

What activities elevate my energy level?


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A mind map is

a diagram that

outlines ideas, tasks

and opportunities

arranged around a

central theme or aim.

Do you remember the last time you had to brainstorm with several people

for a group project? The success of that project was most likely caused by all

team members thinking of the desired end result. When our intention is to

clarify the next steps for our own lives, however, there is only one participant

who can brainstorm the solution. It all comes down to you. What are all your

options? How do you know what to move forward with and what to discard?

What is the logical next step?

A mind map is a diagram that outlines ideas, tasks and opportunities arranged

around a central theme or aim. It is used to develop, visualize, facilitate and

categorize ideas. It allows you to step outside your inner critic and get things

on paper. It is a way to organize the information that is oating around in

your head, solve a problem that you have been grappling with, or nd clar-

ity to solve a problem. The sections of a mind map are arranged intuitively

according to the importance of the concepts with the main idea in the center.

Ideas ow from the main thought and are classied into groups with the goal

of linking porting of information.

By putting down ideas in a graphical, non-linear manner, mind maps encour-

age a brainstorming approach to problem solving. Popularized by Tony Buzan,

mind maps restructure the typical format of conventional note taking, and

favor a two-dimensional approach. The branches of a mind map imply a hier-

archical relationship between the thoughts; however, their radial arrangement

disrupts rigid categorization. The radial connections of the mind map main-

tain the organic value of each idea, all the while relating it back to a central

concept.

This is an important technique because a good mind map shows the shape

of the subject, the relative importance of individual points, and the way in

which facts relate to one another. They help you make associations easily,

consolidate information from different sources, and think through complex

problems. www.mindtools.com

Mind Maps


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Mind Maps

http://blog.learnlets.com/


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DRAWING BASIC MIND MAPS

To make notes on a subject using a mind map, draw it in the following way:

Write the title of the subject youre exploring in the center of the page,

and draw a circle around it. This is shown by the circle marked 1 in Figure

1, above.

As you come across major subdivisions or subheadings of the topic (or

important facts that relate to the subject) draw lines out from this circle.

Label these lines with these subdivisions or subheadings. These are shown

by the lines marked 2 in Figure 1.

As you burrow into the subject and uncover another level of informa-

tion (further subheadings, or individual facts) belonging to the subhead-

ings above, draw these as lines linked to the subheading lines. These are

shown by the lines marked 3 in Figure 1.

Mind Maps

Figure

Mind Map example from

Mind Tools

www.mindtools.com


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Mind Maps

Finally, for individual facts or ideas, draw lines out from the appropriate head-

ing line and label them, these are also shown by the lines marked 4 in Figure 1.

As you come across new information, link it in to the Mind

Map appropriately.

IMPROVING YOUR MIND MAPS

Mind maps allow you to take out all of the ideas that are bouncing around inyour head and create a structure for them. They are a tool that can help you

create clarity and once you understand how to make notes in this format, you

can develop your own conventions to take them further. The following sugges-

tions may help to increase their effectiveness:

Use single words or simple phrases for information:Most words in

normal writing are padding, as they ensure that facts are conveyed in the cor-

rect context, and in a format that is pleasant to read. In your own maps, single

strong words and meaningful phrases can convey the same meaning more

potently. Excess words just clutter the map.

Print words:Joined up or indistinct writing can be more difcult to read.

Use color to separate different ideas:This will help you to separate ideas

where necessary. Color also helps to show the organization of the subject.

Use symbols and images: Where a symbol or picture means something to

you, use it. Pictures can help you to remember information more effectively

than words.

Using cross-linkages: Information in one part of the Mind Map may relate

to another part. Here you can draw in lines to show the cross-linkages. This

helps you to see how one part of the subject affects another, potential growth

and potential opportunities to exploit.


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Pareto Analysis is

a simple technique

o identiying and

selecting the tasks

that result in the

greatest return.

Pareto Analysis

USING THE 80:20 RULE TO PRIORITIZE

If we were to look at your life on a spreadsheet, all of the elements would t

into one of two categories: areas for development and areas to cut out. We live

in a 24 hour news cycle that creates a world of information overload. How

can you determine what is simply adding clutter and what is assisting you in

meeting your goals? Ideally, you want to focus your attention on the tasks and

activities that will allow you to reach your goals the quickest. But how do you

decide what those are?

Pareto Analysis is a simple technique of identifying and selecting the tasks that

result in the greatest return. This tool will allow you to prioritize the activities

that will produce the greatest benet. Pareto Analysis uses the Pareto Prin-

ciple also known as the 80/20 Rule which is the idea that 20% of your

efforts generate 80% of your results. By identifying the most productive 20%

we are removing the unnecessary steps that have minimal reward.

The most successful individuals are both determined and selective.

CAUSES

FREQUENCY

CUMULATIVE

%

10


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Pareto Analysis

HOW TO USE THE TOOL

Step 1: Identify and List Objectives

Write a list of all of the objectives you want to accomplish. These can be

gathered from the mind mapping exercise listed above or you can refer to your

sweet spot where you have engaged your strengths, included your passions,

taken advantage of opportunities and balanced your obligations.

Step 2: Identify PotentialFor each objective, identify its potential outcome. What objectives will help

you achieve your goals the fastest? Which are on the list, but are a long shot?

Step 3: Score Potential

Next score each ambition. The scoring method you use will depend on the

task. Factors like length of time to reach goals, initial investment and impact

on current status should be considered. A simple scale of 1-10 is sufcient.

Step 4: Group Options Together By Outcome

Now, group options together by outcome. For example, if three of your objec-

tives are to create more time in your schedule, group them together.

Step 5: Add up the Scores for Each Group

You can now add up the scores for each group. The group with the top score is

your highest priority, and the group with the lowest score is your lowest prior-

ity. Keep in mind that low scoring options may not be worth attempting, as

they may cost you more than the investment and outcome is worth.

Step 6: Take ActionNow you need to take action and our next chapter focuses specically on stra-

tegic action and creating a plan. Here we have created the priorities and the

order by which you will proceed.


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Pareto Analysis

FOR REFLECTION

What objectives are on my list?

What are the ew things that i done well will make a dierence in my lie?

What well placed eorts will produce the best results and the rewards I want?

What ruitless activities are simply adding clutter to my lie?


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A commitment to the

truth about yoursel

is the only manner

in which you will

fnd the clear and

undecipherable path

to your uture.

We have examined several tools in this chapter to help you clarify your direc-

tion. None of them will serve you fully however without radical self honesty.

Clarity arrives only when you are completely open and truthful with yourself.

Truth is the navigational tool to keep you on track. It is your internal com-

pass, automatically pointing you in the right direction. A commitment to the

truth about yourself is the only manner in which you will nd the clear and

undecipherable path to your future.

ClariyingDirection


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Clariying Direction

FOR REFLECTION

What are my core values and do I reerences them when making decisions?

Where do my strengths, passions, opportunities and obligations overlap to create my sweet spot?

What is my prevalent emotional state?

Who am I and what do I want?

How do I defne success or mysel and what does it look like?

Where am I showing up inauthentically in my lie?


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Career Success: Clarifying Direction

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