From the time that Socrates first uttered the injunction to "Know thyself," countless others have chimed in with the same advice. Most people have a basic sense of self. Yet, most of the people I've worked with lack insights into what they have going for them in their lives.
In life transitions generally, but perhaps in career transition in particular, it is critical to know what you can bring to successfully meeting the challenges you face in building a new life. In my work, therefore, I use a "portfolio" concept to help people see the "assets" that they own and can use. Life ownership, then, involves identifying your assets, understanding how they interact, and knowing how to put them to use to benefit yourself and others.
So, let's consider some of the assets that are in your portfolio. While this is not an exhaustive list, here are some of the assets I ask people I work with to focus on:
Accomplishments. In living your life, you've faced situations, taken actions, and gotten results, often succeeding and sometimes failing. Yet, win or lose what you have accomplished provides valuable learning. Every time you bring something to completion you add to your knowledge base, which is an asset that you can bring to and apply in new situations.
Competencies. Succeeding at life, at any level, and in any circumstance is heavily influenced by your mix of skills, personal characteristics, and even specialized knowledge. Simply put, you're good at some things, and the things you're good at more than likely help drive your success.
Likes and Dislikes. You do your best, at work and play, when you function under ideal conditions. Knowing these conditions gives you more control in setting up your life to put yourself in preferred settings, to best structure your day, interact with others in the most productive and enjoyable ways, and bring more information to your decisions.
Interests. Over the course of your life, you have generally done the best and felt that happiest when you were doing things you were interested in. While you may have an intuitive sense of what these are, it's useful to take the time to create a prioritized list of what you are most attracted to.
Personality Dimensions and Patterns. Your abilities at work and play and in relating to other people can be greatly influenced by preferences in fundamental personality dimensions and identifiable behavioral patterns, many of which support your competencies. Knowing your patterns and where you stand on basic personality dimensions is an important asset you can use to get the best from yourself and others.
Values. In a real sense, the values you hold are critical motivators. When you honor them, you feel a sense of satisfaction and alignment; when you don't you can feel unhappy and frustrated. Knowing your values provides an important basis for choices that allow you the best chance at mastery of your life.
So, what assets do you own, and how will you go about using them to benefit yourself and others?
Contact me if you are interested in beginning to uncover the assets in your life portfolio.
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