I want to tell you a simple technique that will help you decide on your life goals — well, or it will qualitatively tell you what you should think about and what is empty.
Draw three circles so they intersect each other like this:
Sign them:
- I want: these are the things and activities that attract you. Light up. Pull! Interested!
- I am able: this is what you know how to do well, and even better — masterfully.
- Demanded: this is the circle of what money pays for today. Wider — what people are really grateful for, what people need.
At the intersection of these circles lies your life purpose.
And now — in more detail!
Hint: don’t start with I want, start with I can. Start by making a list of those cases, professions and skills that you somehow own or could master in the foreseeable future.
For example, I can write articles and books perfectly, speak to the public, an experienced leader and negotiator, and even more so — a mediator in complex negotiations. A VIP coach, a family consultant, I confidently save couples in crisis situations — and, probably, a few dozen more cases and professions that will feed me calmly.
The more cases you have that you master, the better your business prospects. Here’s the truth: do not be lazy to master things to the level of not just “okay, it will do”, but rise to the bar of excellence worthy of pride! It’s expensive at first, but it pays off later.
Let your second circle be Demanded. First of all, go through your first list of I can and assess whether people will pay for all your talents.
Unfortunately, some cases will have to be crossed out. For example, I am an excellent consultant on the upbringing of children, and it seems to be obvious that children are our everything, our joy and our future, but my practice has shown that few seriously seek help on this issue … Anxious mothers are not ready to pay for it, and a couple of requests a year from serious people are not serious.
But business trainings for managers, corporate trainings on order and good books on the topic of family, love and children — yes, people thank for this both from the bottom of their hearts and financially interesting.
Now it’s the turn of the circle I want. Actually, it’s easier with him: usually what you know how to do masterfully and at the same time appreciate others who are ready to pay decent money for it — you like it. Check it out!
But there are exceptions: sometimes sought-after professionals in their field come to me for consultations, ready to give up their high salaries in order to answer the question: “Where is what I love?” In half of the cases, it turns out that the reason is not at all deep psychological, but quite physical in nature: colleagues, you just need to learn how to properly relax, meet good friends more often and improve relationships with loved ones. There are more complex cases, but this is on an individual basis.
In total, when you combine all your lists: I can, I want and I want, you will have several things at the intersection that should be considered your life task. Of these, choose what best suits your life values, what is the highest and most meaningful for you, choose the peak for which you can both strain and give it your all: this will help you not to break down in case of unexpected difficulties. Remember Nietzsche: “He who has a WHY to live can endure any HOW.” The University of Practical Psychology turned out to be such a peak for me today …
And for the stubborn and creative, there is one more quality hint: strong people come not from a given, but from tasks. The formula for the success of a reasonable person is to collect the available resources and within these opportunities do what you want. The success formula for a leader is to define what you want and create the resources to make your Want possible.
Once upon a time, Steve Jobs’ iPods were not in demand, but he believed in them, wanted to produce them — and launched a powerful advertising company. He created a need, and queues formed for his iPods…
The leader does not seek reality, he creates it. Three circles I can, I want and I want — this is a tough reality, these are the limits, but the most stubborn ones know how to go beyond the limits. Remember this.