Changing Times

Seize the Day! (PART 3 of 6)

And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count.
It’s the life in your years.
~Abraham Lincoln

While you may not be able to control the world, you can control how you respond to it. So wake up! Get going! Life is short and time is fleeting…Here’s our third suggestion for how to seize the day:

Figure out your current crossroads
Although not always apparent, we are always in a place of making choices and setting direction in our lives.  One effective response to the uncertainties of 2008 is to make your current crossroads explicit, to think clearly about your choices, and then make decisions consciously about where to direct your life.

Here’s an exercise that I often use with my coaching clients:
Take a blank sheet of paper and draw two intersecting roads on it.  Click here for an example.

Draw yourself in the crossroads.  Put a big thought bubble above you. In it, pose the focus question that describes your current crossroads in life.  For example, What do I really want to do with my career?, How can I conclude this chapter in my life? or How can I balance my work and outside work interests?

In one quadrant write about what is calling you; what draws your attention or energizes you. Your answers could range from very specific things, such as learning a new skill, to big dreams. In another quadrant, write about what is pressing; what is immediate, top of mind. Your answer should focus on the practical realities of your situation.  In the third quadrant write about who and what is involved. It should take into account your network of people and the relationships that affect your plans and decisions.  In the final quadrant, write about the possibilities. Imagine your best and brightest future.

Then return to your focus question.  Look for patterns and themes in your writing that will help you focus on the direction in which you need to move your life.

Note: Inspiration for this activity comes from The Personal Compass by The Grove Consultants.