Small Business Articles from Make-it-Fly®

Release the Power of the Real You
Five Steps to Know Thyself
By Victoria Munro

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To enjoy true success, we need to discover—really know—who we are at our core. Having a clear understanding of who we are, what matters most to us, and what we want to accomplish in life releases tremendous energy. It inspires confidence and ignites within us a sense of purpose. It gives meaning to even trivial tasks.

Yet, in our demanding lives as business owners, we seldom take time to step back and reflect on such things. Because I believe that it will result in a much more joyful and productive you, I suggest you plan now—mark it on your calendar—to take a little time away to look at your big picture. Think about what success means to you and where you ultimately want to take your life. The following steps will help.

Step One - Acknowledge Your Strengths, Natural Talents and Special Skills

Be aware of what you do really well. Continually develop and draw on your strengths. Working out of your strengths stirs up creativity and innovation, better equipping you to solve problems and avoid pitfalls.

	Ask Yourself:
	What comes easily and naturally to me? What do I do really well?
	What do I look forward to each day?
	How do I stand out from others in my field? Make a list.
	What do I do that makes the business successful?
	Looking back over my life to date, what are my five or six most significant achievements?

Get another point of view. Ask those who know you well to tell you how they would answer these questions for you. Find out what they most admire about you.

Step Two - Admit Your Weaknesses

Be aware of your limitations but, instead of trying to fix them, major on your strengths. Build a team around you that will complement your weak areas and allow you to focus on what you do best.

	Ask Yourself:
	What do I find distasteful and/or difficult? Make a list.
	What do I tend to procrastinate about?
	What weaknesses have others commented on that I feel were accurate?

Step Three - Know What You Stand For

Identify your core values—those non-negotiables that are truly important to you. Commit to live your life in alignment with these and do what you believe to be right, even when others may misunderstand or disagree. Knowing what we value provides us with clear guidelines for choices and actions.

	Ask Yourself:
	What actions can I take to better honor what I claim to value?

Step Four - Pursue Your Purpose with Passion

Before you can pursue it, you need to find your purpose. It’s likely linked to your strengths and your values. At some level, we all want to do something meaningful that will make a difference in the world. Think about what you do or have done in the past that you were passionate about. What stirs, excites or motivates you?

Talk about your purpose. Stir up your passion. Share it with friends, family, colleagues and anyone who’ll listen. Passion is contagious. It inspires confidence in others and rallies them to your cause.

	Ask Yourself:
	What is it that I just have to do?
	What did I enjoy doing as a child?
	What have I done in the past or do now that I’m passionate about? What stirs, excites or motivates me?
	If money weren’t an issue, how would I spend my time?
	Looking back at the end of my life, what will I regret not having done?

Step Five - Write Your Personal Vision Statement

A personal vision statement brings clarity to everyday life. It acts as a compass to guide you through the seas of life. It helps you make decisions in line with where you want to go in life and set goals and take actions to get there.

What do you want your vision of the future to look like? Write out or record your description. Use your imagination. Employ all your senses. Bring in emotion—describe how you will feel. When complete, distill it into one or two sentences. Post it where you’ll see it often.

Review your personal vision statement often. Since circumstances can change, you may want to adjust it. Surround yourself with people who believe in your vision.

Knowing yourself, being true to the real you and pursuing your purpose—your mission in life—will release renewed energy and set you on an exhilarating and fulfilling journey to achieve your dream.

About the Author: Victoria Munro is co-founder (along with husband Dave Block) of Make-it-Fly® LLC, a company dedicated to creating success for small-business owners through creatively designed programs and tools. To receive FREE business success articles with tips to help you with your business, sign up for their award-winning ezine, “In-Flight Refueling,” at: www.Make-it-Fly.com, and receive a free copy of the eBook, Get More Done in Less Time: 101 Quick and Easy Time Tactics & Tips.

(827 words)
© 2005-2007 Victoria Munro.

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