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Practice Reciting Your Core Life Lists
As a manager one of the core things I focus on with my team is keeping track of what value our team has provided for others.
We not only want to know this so we can see if we’re doing good job, but also so that we can communicate successfully the value that we offer.
The same concept applies to many things in life, yet few people think about it. Here are some examples of things you should be able to provide to anyone who asks:
What are you passionate about in life?
What are you trying to accomplish in life?
What have you contributed to your team at work?
What are the primary goals of your team?
What has your team contributed to the organization?
If you didn’t have to worry about money or time, what would you work on?
It’s remarkable how many people don’t have these answers available. And for most, it’s not that they’re not good at giving the answers—it’s that they haven’t even thought about them.
This is troubling.
If you don’t know what you’re passionate about, then what are you doing day to day? Just drifting from obstacle to obstacle, waiting for a reprieve?
If you can’t describe for some visiting executive what your team has done for the organization, then why would they walk away with a positive impression?
Again, these lists are dual-purposed:
They remind you what your priorities and accomplishments are
They communicate to others that you have purpose
They show the value you have provided, and that you will provide
The first is the most important, as it drives the other two.
Answer these questions for yourself, and work on giving the answers when asked. Doing so will provide a keen focus for your daily activities while providing others a solid impression of both your direction and competence.
Notes
For the “best possible life” question, you should also know what’s stopping you from doing that instead of what you’re doing