Have You Met Your Future Self?
Have you ever found yourself stuck in the past?
Are you filled with regret about what you have or have not done with your career or life?
Many of us have pasts that are full of pain and negative circumstances. It is easy to let our past define us and we can become discouraged. What if you could let go of the past and look forward to a bright future?
Often, when asked what a bright future looks like many people are unable to figure it out on their own. They say things like, “I don’t know,” “I’m not sure,” or “It all seems overwhelming or confusing.”
This is true during the job search process as well. I find that most of the people who hire me to help them with their career transition, are not clear about what they want or what they have to offer. When I ask them, “What do you want in your future?” it can be difficult for them to answer. This lack of clarity carries into the interviewing process and results in sending vague signals to potential employers.
This is why I use a powerful future-self exercise to help them gain clarity. I guide them through an exercise to identify the five most important things they want to happen to be able to say it has been an amazing journey.
Here is an overview of the structure:
Identify what is important to them in five categories: relationships, personal growth, financial growth, and career.
Ask, ”If you were sitting here 3 years from now what has to happen for you to say you have accomplished all that you want in terms of your <relationships>?”
Ask this question for each of the five categories.
The other questions I ask to help them gain clarity are:
What are you really good at? What is your superpower?
What do you value more than time? What do you value more than money?
After they complete the list, we discuss roles, companies and industries that would help them fulfill their top five outcomes and that will utilize their superpower and match their values.
Once this is clearly documented, we can create customized searches and collateral so that they find the best opportunity for them.
If you are in a job that is not fulfilling or are wondering what you want to do next, I encourage you to ask yourself these questions and write down the answers. This becomes the guiding light for your life and career.
