What Are The Two Most Important Days?

The two most important days in our lives are… the day we’re born and the day we find out why. And finding my ‘why’ has been a struggle. A roller coaster of trial and error, frustration and tears.

I find my purpose… and then I lose it.

I find my purpose again ..and then I lose it again.

(why am I so careless?)

?So this sensible quote from 19th century author Mark Twain struck a deep chord today:

"...The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why..."

Identify What We Want

The thing is, it's not just about identifying what we want to do in our professional and personal lives. We need to go a few layers deeper and ask ourselves:

Why do we want what we want?

What will it make us feel when we get it?

How will getting it tell us more about who we are as a human being?

Yes… some deep self-reflection was needed today. And its definitely not something I can buy from Amazon!

But it’s achievable.

So long as I give myself permission to grab some quiet time. Some 'thinking' space. And do the following:

Repeat the three why, what, how questions in turn, over and over.

Then listen to the answers that bubble up to the surface of my conscious mind.

?The brain is pretty simple. Ask it a question and it will rush off and fetch you an answer from the subconscious mind... like a dog chasing a stick.

A Distracted Antsy World

The challenge we all face in this distracted, antsy attention-grabbing world is carving out thinking space. And making it a 'valued' business activity. We could all do with asking ourselves - how can I make 'thinking time' a priority? Then use personal growth tools, strategies and specialist coaches to help?dig a little bit deeper.

Mark Twain found his purpose through vivid storytelling, wit and humour. And urged us to find the overlap between our talent, our passion and what the world needs.

Here are 10 ways To Start Your Self-Reflection

..Are you ready to uncover your life’s purpose?

1. Set Aside Quiet Time: Dedicate distraction free time each day. Sit quietly and think. You can daydream.. that's OK. It puts you into the alpha brainwave state. Alpha waves are associated with a relaxed yet awake state. This occurs when the mind is at rest but alert. It also happens during light meditation. This state facilitates creativity. It can be a source of restorative mental breaks that help with problem-solving and thinking in abstract ways.

2. Ask Yourself The Key Question on repeat: like "What makes me feel fulfilled?"

3. Listen to Your Inner Voice: Pay attention to the answers that come from within. For a few moment ‘park’ the expectations of others. We might feel uncomfortable accepting we have an internal conversation with ourselves... but don't worry, it's perfectly normal.

4. Journal Your Thoughts: Write down your thoughts in a special notebook (or word document). Writing helps clarify your thoughts and feelings. If writing is hard, then blurb some thoughts on a voice note or do some creative drawing.

5. Explore Your Passions: Identify activities that energize you and explore them more deeply.

6. Evaluate Your Skills: Assess your talents. Find where your capabilities align with your passions.

7. Consider Your Impact: Think about how you can make a difference in the world. It might not be big and flashy… but it is unique to you. It might simply be "bring up my children to be responsible global citizens."

8. Seek Feedback: Talk to trusted friends, family, or mentors about what they think your strengths and weaknesses are.

9. Read and Research: Learn from others. Read biographies or listen to podcasts about business and professional & personal growth.

10. Reflect on Peak Moments: Identify moments when you felt most alive and fulfilled. What were you doing? Who were you with? e

These are a short selection of pathways that help us gain deeper understanding and clarity.

PS: It’s OK to ?say out loud

....what you want to do, and ?

....why you want to do it.

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I help entrepreneurs gain unwavering confidence in their ability to stop mental and emotional overwhelm. And expand their emotional intelligence so they can...think better, feel better, and do better.