Who even ARE you?

Here's something you don't know?about me.

I make a mean mud pie.

Nope, not the Mississippi?chocolate variety.

I mean the dirty, gloopy, soil-and-water variety. Given texture?by a choice sprinkling of gravel or carefully chopped grass.? Decorated with tiny daisies, rose petals or pansies. Mwah.?

Seriously, they're a work of art.

Or at least they were when I was 7, beavering away in the greenhouse in my grandma's garden. Chuntering the mysterious "recipes" out loud to my imaginary audience?like some kind of welly-booted, dishevelled Nigella Lawson.

Happy days ??

My grandma and grandad lived in a 1930s pebbledash semi in Winchester, called "Bermardon".

It was years before I realised this strange house name (whatever happened?to "Sunnyside" or "Dunroamin"?) was my Grandad's invention, a bolting-together of his name, my Grandma's and my mum's - their only child.

Thus Donald, Beryl and their daughter Margaret lived happily together at Bermardon ??

I'm guessing Donberget or Mardonyl didn't have quite the same ring.

I'm not suggesting you adopt this house naming strategy for your own abode.?

(Though you could do worse than introduce it as a game for a long car journey with fractious children.)

But I do love the idea that the labels we choose for ourselves should encompass as much of who we are as possible.

It's why job titles are a poor starting point for figuring out what you want to do in life.?

Lawyer,?nurse, engineer, teacher, marketer ... just?words?that don't tell us much about what goes into them.?

So don't begin there.?

Instead, reverse engineer.? When you're wondering what kind of work would really light you up?and whether you're currently in the right role,?you need to focus on the?THREE ELEMENTS?you want to bolt together to lead to your perfect job.?

Your very own Beryl, Margaret, Donald.?

Let's go ...?

ELEMENT 1

I'm really great at ...?

When I first ask clients about where they shine, their opening answer is usually vague as hell.

"I'm a people person" or "I'm great at organising things" ??♀?

Try harder. You can do waayyyy better. Keep peeling the onion until you have something much clearer. Take these two contrasting results:

I'm great at organising?events. I love discussing what a client wants, helping them get a clear vision and then bringing it to life with lots of creativity. I like using my contacts book to find exactly the right suppliers and negotiating prices and services. And I love the buzz of the event itself.

I'm great at organising?systems and processes. I love designing efficient methods of doing things that will save time and money and where results are really measurable. Spreadsheets and productivity tools excite me, I'm a proud geek.?

One apparent skillset. Two very different preferences ??

ELEMENT 2

I work best when ...

What do you know about how you like to work? Whether that's the place you're working, the people around you, the rhythm of your day, the level of responsibility and so on.

So you might come up with something like this??:

I work best when?I'm given clear direction and have short-term projects with specific targets to hit. I appreciate regular?feedback. I love collaborating with colleagues and having opportunities to bounce ideas around. I enjoy variety, so I thrive when I have several contrasting projects on the go at once. I'm energised by other people, so definitely need several days in the office to keep me on track.

OR this

I work best when?I feel trusted to get on with my work and manage my own time and priorities around my?family commitments. My perfect?office is at home where it's quiet. I love big chunks of time to get my head down, uninterrupted by meetings, but do enjoy site?visits for a change of?scene and the chance to talk in-depth with my key stakeholders.??

ELEMENT 3

I'm motivated by ...

Dig deep. When people are in the wrong role it's often here there's a disconnect ??.??Here are 3 examples. (You're welcome):

I'm motivated by?recognition and status, so I love to have my advice sought out by colleagues as?valuable and insightful and I need to see opportunities for promotion or new responsibilities.?

I'm motivated by?fun! I hate when it's too earnest and people are scared to make mistakes. I work hard but there's got to be space for laughter and experimentation.?

?

I'm motivated by?purpose and impact. I need to see a positive outcome in the world from what I'm doing, so it has a meaning and isn't just a way of earning a wage.?

So, what happens when you combine your three key elements together?

Do they bolt together to produce the role you're currently "living" in?!?

If your Bermardon?has just become a Bermardon't, maybe it's time for some changes ...

Stay curious,

Rachel

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