Leadership development begins with personal development. I can almost predict to the person who will and who will not embrace their plans. How do I know this? Your work needs to be connected to your passion. This is all about having an emotional connection to the development plan.
The emotional connection must be tied to life goals; a vision of your desired daily activity, where you want to live, who is there, etc. As important are solutions to how you want to work; as an entrepreneur, employee, freelancer.
Life Goals
- What ideas drive you emotionally?
- What group of people to you want to help?
- How do you want to change the world? Your community?
- What do you want to create?
- What makes you unique?
- What are you afraid of?
Create Something
I’ve said this before: you are most alive when you are creating something and celebrating that creation. We see this in the first 25 verses of the bible. God creates the heavens and the earth. He creates the first day and He says it is good. He creates man and He says this is very good. And in the 26th verse God says, “Let us make man in our image.” We know at least two things about God at this point. You guessed it. He creates and He celebrates.
Obstacles to Growth
Ask your self what you fear and what is keeping you from making significant change? There are two things that drive our time and energy:
- Driving forces
- Restraining forces
Think of this as a car. There is an accelerator and a brake. Attempting to drive your car with both the accelerator and brake pressed will eventually tear up your car. The fastest way to get the car moving is to take your foot off the brake. We have all experienced bad stuff. These things have prepared you to be kinder or smarter. Many times these difficult times lead us to how we want to help others.
Your driving forces are connected to your passion. These are the things that get you out of bed every morning. These are your core values or the why you do things.
Vision
Choose a date 3-5 years into the future. Answer the previously written questions. The more clear this vision is the more the vision can become a reality. Answer these questions:
- What is my vision/mission?
- What roles do I find most fulfilling?
- What goals are attached to these roles?
- What priorities are attached to the goals?
- What am I going to do today that will lead me to my desired future?
- What three bold steps must I take to make my vision a reality?
Life Plan
Many people can process all the activities previously listed. Others need help. In fact, I would say that all of us need help if we want to expedite the process. This is where a life planner (coach) can help. A life plan is a complete review of your past, present and future. The plan addresses your identity and the voice with which you’ve been listening to. It then works through the process of clearly identifying your current state or reality. Finally, you identify your desired future.
Begin by downloading this free workbook, which addresses your past.