Infographic: Questions to Ask Ourselves

Based on an article published in Aptitus magazine (Peru) on September 10, 2014

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Please read the following suggested questions and, if they draw your interest, think about your answers. Then, if I still have your interest, please write down the goals that come up as a result of the questions you answered, keeping in mind that writing your goals is key to making them real and more tangible, close and personal.

These questions also serve to keep a record of what you think and feel today, what you intend to achieve tomorrow and, above all, how you advance in the process: there is nothing more rewarding than reading our goals from years past and finding that what we defined as a goal in the past is being achieved. For that to happen, you must state them clearly, carry out the necessary steps and make an effort to bring them about.

I know it sounds painstaking, complicated and even boring, but I encourage you to think about what you want to achieve. If you have already done so before, try again. Come on, persevere, I will be with you during the process.

To make this exercise easier, let’s start at the end:

Please imagine a very joyous family moment, maybe a celebration, a very pleasant and special moment. Place it five years into the future. Now think: What would that happy moment surrounded by your loved ones be like? Who would be present? Where are you celebrating? What is happening? What is each one doing? How do you see others feeling? Why do you think everyone has those big smiles of satisfaction? How do you feel? Do you like that feeling? Do you feel excited?

Now imagine a moment of professional or business accomplishment or success and try to visualize it. What is happening? Why are you being congratulated? Where are you at that moment? Who surrounds you and congratulates you? What are they celebrating? Why are you happy? What was your achievement or success? Do you enjoy your success?

Now come other key questions – please bear with me. What should happen for that moment of great family bliss you visualized a moment ago to come true in five years? What are you doing today for that moment to happen as you imagine it? What should you be doing to achieve what you have not achieved yet? What should you not be doing or what should you stop doing? Please write down your answers though they might not make much sense yet. Later you can review or edit them at your leisure.

As to that moment of work or business success, what do you want from your professional life? How far do you truly want to go? And for that to happen, what steps do you have to take? What do you have to do or stop doing? What should you not delay any longer? What have you achieved to bring you closer to that moment of satisfaction five years from now? What have you not achieved yet and still need to do, know or have? How do I define my success? What does it mean for me? Do I feel that I truly deserve that success? Do I dare to have it?

To finish, the last questions: What price am I willing to pay? As we know, everything comes with a price. But before the price and the effort of reaching your goals discourage you, it is worthwhile to ask yourself and write: How determined am I to achieve my goals? How much do you truly want to reach them?

If you were already patient enough to answer these questions and if you already made the effort of writing the answers, let me tell you that you are well on your way to making those visions of success and great professional and personal satisfaction come true. I congratulate you in advance. You have already taken the first step, the hardest and most important one!