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| Return to Mind Exercises |
the 3 column workout
Stuck
in a rut? Feeling unfulfilled? Not sure which direction to take in your
working/charitable life? Try the 3 column workout. Simply rule 3 columns
onto a piece of paper.
Head the first column ‘Things I’m good
at’
Underneath write down absolutely everything that you’re good at,
not just things that are vocation related, although include these as well
- anything from woodwork, to arranging flowers to organising the local
football team.
Head the second column ‘Things I’m
qualified to do’
By qualified, cosmic-cherry means both academic qualifications and things
that you have been doing for so long that you’re considered to be
an expert. If you were good at looking after young children, for example,
you are ‘qualified’ in relating to people of a younger age group.
Head the third column ‘Things I absolutely
love doing’
The title of this column speaks for itself. As with the first column,
do not restrict yourself merely to vocational exploits.
Interpretation
I expect you’ve already noticed that some things appear in
more than one column. If something appears in all three columns,
then you have a clear marker for the direction in which you should
find fulfilment. However, if you only have a two column link,
then it is essential that you consider only those items which
occur in the last column and one other.
This is because it is unlikely that you will find happiness and fulfilment
from doing things that you don’t love. Life is not a dress rehearsal,
so you might as well try to maximise your opportunities for doing things
that you really enjoy, even as part of your working regime.
If this Mindercise indicates the possibility of a radical job change,
then you may have to do some additional training. If you are responsible
for the financial well being of dependents, then you will need to discuss
the timing of such training and ensure that it does not jeopardise your
stability to provide a home and meet appropriate needs.
A few words on ‘appropriate needs’ - many of us have built up
complex lifestyles based on perceived needs, some of which may be unnecessary
and even socially or media driven. For example designer labels, second
homes, membership of clubs we never attend, expensive creams that we don’t
use, computer games we never play etc.
Obviously your responsibilities to young children are paramount, but that
doesn’t mean you cannot organise some evening classes or an Open
University course. It depends how badly you want to make a change and
how much effort you are prepared to put into that change.
Whatever you decide, be it charity work, a completely new career or just
asking your boss in a constructive way for promotion, cosmic-cherry wishes
you a rewarding result!