How Will You Know When You Get There?
When I sat down to write a book about KPIs, I figured the most important thing was to get to the data. But the more I wrote and the more I thought about what I was writing, the more I realized what was most important. So the first chapter is all about missions. I start with some easily accessible missions, including Microsoft's from their website, and the American Red Cross's from their site. I wrote about how to break down those missions into something measurable.
What I think I've never dug into and what I'm faced with right now is: How do I write a personal career mission? How do I write something that, at it's core, describes what I want to give my time to? I recently stepped away from my day job and am working right now to develop a coaching and consulting practice. My impulse, having had a job since I was somewhere in my mid-teens, is to take any and all work that comes my way. If I follow that impulse, I'm throwing metaphoric spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks. In that version of my future, I'm reactive. Responding to the needs and requests that come my way. Sounds exhausting. So I sit at my desk at 10AM on a Tuesday realizing that I simultaneously have nothing to do and everything to do. And just like that I'm down in the data. I'm defining consulting packages and developing marking plans. I'm down in a project management software assigning tasks to myself and writing copy for a website launch. This has gone on for about three weeks and it's remarkably (and not surprisingly) UN-inspiring. I realized this morning that I was doing the thing I have advised so many others not to do. I was running down the track without spending a minute on the destination. I still don't (as of this writing) know where my destination is, but before I get any farther down the details, I will. Here are the questions I'm working on, and maybe these work for you:
Those are start and I'll keep you posted. What are the questions that get you to your destination?
12 Comments
Manjit Sekhon
3/14/2023 10:11:10 pm
Great self-coaching questions in this situation Greg. You're right - definitely useful for all of us to think of the answers to questions like this!
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Greg Brisendine
3/16/2023 06:07:24 am
Thank you Manjit! Nice to hear from you here!
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Reiko
3/15/2023 09:23:11 pm
Always bringing the wisdom! Thanks GB. Can’t wait to see where the new destination leads you.
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Greg Brisendine
3/16/2023 06:07:53 am
Thanks RB! It's been forever, we're due for a catch up!
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Kristal Alton
3/17/2023 06:30:27 am
Hi Greg, thanks so much for sharing this! I have similar struggles with figuring out where my destination is. I actually took a break from writing my “action plan” to scroll (PROCRASTINATING) and found this article! I will go back to my action plan and keep all of your brilliant musings in mind as I work on it.
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Greg Brisendine
3/19/2023 09:30:33 am
Many thanks, Kristal! I'm glad it resonated and I forgive you (as I constantly forgive myself) for procrasti-scrolling when I should be productive.
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You are so courageous! I am also surfing this world as it continues to shifts and I release "plans" for "intentions." Living with a chaotic disease and through a pandemic has made me allergic to plans, but "What do you want to be true in a year that is not true now?" is guidance for intention! How elegant!
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Greg Brisendine
3/19/2023 09:29:27 am
Thank you, EV! In my time knowing you, I have found you absolutely a role model in shifting with the needs of the moment. I'm glad you like this guidance for intention!
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Greg Brisendine
3/21/2023 07:07:09 am
Thanks Perry! It's an ongoing challenge for me, too.
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J.S.Epperson
3/24/2023 02:14:21 pm
I too am rethinking my path and at no point have I considered the destination. Some path…
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Greg Brisendine
3/29/2023 05:54:39 pm
Everyone gets to decide (and update) their destination, even while on the path.
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Greg BrisendineI'm a measurement geek, business leader, playwright, poet, and I like ice cream. Archives
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