WordPress.com



Session 5K: Finding Your Why To A Meaningful Life (BA, RF)

Presenter: William H. Johnson Jr., Student Success Navigator, Life Design Catalyst Coach/Instructor, University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Summary: Faculty complain that students aren’t motivated in the classroom; students feel lost because most aren’t sure what they want to do in life. Research studies and self-help books document the importance of knowing one’s purpose. People want to connect with something meaningful – from 8 to 80 – and it all starts with purpose! This session will provide you with the tools to begin the purpose-exploration process. You will be actively engaged in this process, answering questions and creating statements focused on your mission, your vision, and how you want to live your life every day. You will be challenged – in a positive way – to reflect on your life, now and for the future. You will also be encouraged to help your fellow participants construct their statements. By the end of the session, you will leave with: (1) a mission statement, describing how you want to serve others, (2) a life motto, describing how you want to live your life every day, and (3) a vision statement, providing a direction for your life in the future. You will also be able to use the tools in the workshops with the populations you work with on a daily basis. At UNCG, the presenter uses the “Find Your Why” process in his life success course; he has also been asked to present this work in a number of courses around campus, from first-year seminars to senior level capstone courses.

Personal Statements Worksheet

|Character Words (3 to 5) |Inspiration Words (3 to 5) |Seven Word Life Motto |

| | | |

|1. |1. | |

|2. |2. | |

|3. |3. | |

|4. |4. | |

|5. |5. | |

| | | |

|Talents and Gifts (3 to 5) |Interests (3 to 5) |Audience (3 to 5) |

| | | |

|1. |1. |1. |

|2. |2. |2. |

|3. |3. |3. |

|4. |4. |4. |

|5. |5. |5. |

|Action (3 to 5) |Meaningful Work Statement |

| | |

|1. | |

|2. | |

|3. | |

|4. | |

|5. | |

| | | |

|Personal Manifesto |

| |

|1. |

| |

|2. |

| |

|3. |

| |

|4. |

| |

|5. |

Resources

• Design Your Life Project -

• Presentation Resources (like this handout) -

• Life Design Catalyst Coach Training Certification Program -

Where to Start – Questions to Start the Idea Exploration Process (from “Why Do So Many Entrepreneurs Hate Their Lives,” by Jonathan Fields - )

For this exercise, you will answer the following questions to start the process of identifying potential ideas for your projects this semester. Take about 15 minutes to answer the questions below:

1. What do I care about?

2. What do I hold sacred, both in business and life?

3. What lights me up, what would I work hard to do for free?

4. What empties me out, emotionally, psychologically and physically?

5. Who do I want to serve?

6. Do I care more about serving or building?

7. What do I value on a non-negotiable level?

8. What am I great at?

9. What am I terrible at?

10. How do I want to spend each day?

11. How do I want to live my life?

Seven Word Life Motto (Purpose Statement)

Your Seven Word Life Motto defines how you’d like to live your life every day, in seven words – no more, no less. See your Life Motto as a purpose statement with restrictions.

Character – Choose 3 to 5

Character Strengths are morally and universally valued characteristics, encompassing our capacities for helping ourselves and others and produce positive effects when we express them. Knowing your collection of character strengths is the first step towards living a happier, more authentic life.

Curiosity

Creativity

Originality

Open-mindedness

Love of learning

Perspective

Wisdom

Bravery

Persistence

Integrity

Authenticity

Honesty

Zest

Enthusiasm

Energy

Love

Kindness

Generosity

Nurturing

Compassion

Social Intelligence

Civic responsibility

Social responsibility

Fairness

Equity

Justice

Leadership

Forgiveness

Humility

Prudence

Self-control

Beauty

Excellence

Wonder

Gratitude

Appreciation

Hope

Optimism

Humor

Playfulness

Spirituality

Faith

Purpose

Inspiration – Choose 3 to 5

Inspiration words are words that motivate you, words that excite you, words that may be used to describe you, words that make you feel great. Place a check next to or circle all of the words that resonate with you the most. Note: If there are words that are not listed that fit you better, add them to your list.

Achieve Appreciate Refreshing Exciting Holistic Believe Outstanding

Peaceful Interesting Satisfied Create Cherish Discover Dream

Wish Embrace Laugh Explore Delightful Best Beautiful

Freedom Grow Fulfilling Possible Happy Heavenly Empower

Imagine Courage Inspire Love Lead Live Success

Amazing Joy Special Service Hope Pleasure Passion

Patience Rewarding Vision Play Meaningful Reflect Relax

Unique Renew Fun Strive Smile Treasure Transform

Natural Strong Great Thrive Generous Alive Brilliant

Delicious Grand Outrageous Paradise Precious Special Timeless

Wow Wonder Wise Magic Worthy

Constructing Your Life Motto

Your Life Motto is the story of your present and future. It must be EXACTLY seven (7) words - no more, no less. Remember that your life motto describes how you want to live your life every day, starting today.

Your Seven-Word Life Motto can be:

• One statement;

• A series of small statements;

• Seven individual words;

• Or any combination of statements and/or words that work best for you.

If you aren’t sure what to write, ask for help in constructing your motto.

Bill’s Examples

• Character – Creativity, Wisdom, Gratitude, Hope, Purpose

• Inspiration – Discover, Inspire, Transform, Passion, Dream, Vision

Bill's Life Mottos

• How I live my life every day: Dream Big. Live with Purpose. Inspire Others.

• How I serve others in my work: Achieving more than one ever thought possible!

Life Motto Examples (from previous classes/workshops)

• Weaknesses are just your few strengths unconquered.

• Lead others, serve others, and maintain integrity.

• Be lovely, be loyal, and live enchantingly.

• God has your back, just keep faith.

• Remain receptive. Let faith be your guide.

• Today makes you who you are tomorrow.

• Appreciate Life. Maintain health. Remember to play.

• Be happy. Be strong. Be free. Always.

• Live intentionally. Be for others. Cultivate peace.

• Make each moment inspiring with life’s beauty.

• Ambition should be stronger than any fear.

• Live through captured moments from the past.

• Ambition is key. The gate is excellence.

• Dream spontaneously. Love patiently. Live open-mindedly.

• Have faith. Love one another. Anything’s possible.

• Never be afraid to make an impact.

• Discover daily. Lead with integrity, optimism, love.

• Live every day like it’s my last.

• Persevere through challenges. Achieve success. Gain wisdom.

• Clearly conscious, serving God and people faithfully.

• Connecting people to their God-given destiny.

• Play every day. Live for each moment.

• Magic is something I create every day.

Now, write out your Seven Word Life Motto. Feel free to use any of the words from the choices today, as well as from the choices of the previous assignments in this class. Come up with the seven words that describe how you want to live your life on a daily basis, words that will inspire you when you get out of bed in the morning. When you're feeling down, there will be the words that will inspire you to move forward!

And remember, it must be EXACTLY SEVEN WORDS!

Note: If you have a chance, share your seven word life motto with at least three people that you know you well and see how they feel about your life motto.

Meaningful Work Statement

Your meaningful work statement will define the work that you’re here to do, based on specific characteristics that are unique to you. This statement will also include pieces that identify the populations you’d like to serve, the specific actions you’d like to take to assist them, as well as the benefit they would receive and/or the impact your work would have on them.

Talents and Gifts

The first activity will have you identify your talents and gifts. These are the things that you are both good at and you enjoy doing. Circle, highlight, or place a check next to all that apply to you, then narrow down your list to 3 to 5 that fit you best. Make sure you choose only those things that you’re both good at doing AND that you like to do! Note: If something is not listed below, feel free to add it to your list!

Talents and Gifts – Choose 3 to 5

|Adapting |Gathering information |Programming |

|Analyzing data |Giving advice |Public speaking |

|Appreciating things |Giving presentations |Reading |

|Arranging |Having conversations |Recruiting others |

|Asking good questions |Having fun |Reflecting |

|Being adventurous |Helping/serving others |Remembering things |

|Being fair |Implementing |Repairing things |

|Being funny |Including others |Reporting |

|Being optimistic |Inspiring others |Researching |

|Bringing out best in others |Learning from mistakes |Resolving problems |

|Building things |Learning new things |Saving lives |

|Buying |Leading others |Selling/Marketing |

|Caring for others |Listening |Showing compassion |

|Cleaning |Living in the moment |Singing |

|Collecting |Making arts and crafts |Speaking languages |

|Coming up with new ideas |Making decisions |Spending wisely |

|Compiling statistics |Making foods/drinks |Starting new things |

|Connecting people |Making music |Storytelling |

|Cooking |Making people happy |Taking care of people |

|Coordinating activities |Making people laugh |Taking pictures |

|Counseling |Managing money |Taking risks |

|Creating new things |Managing people |Talking |

|Dealing with pressure |Managing time |Teaching/Training |

|Dealing with relationships |Meeting people |Thinking |

|Debating |Memorizing |Traveling |

|Decorating |Motivating others |Understanding law/legal issues |

|Demonstrating |Moving |Using computers |

|Designing |Networking |Using electronics |

|Developing |Note-taking |Using technology |

|Driving |Organizing |Working on cars |

|Eating healthy |Painting/Drawing |Working outdoors |

|Encouraging people |Parenting |Working with numbers |

|Enhancing beauty |Performing |Working with tools |

|Entertaining others |Planning events |Working with your hands |

|Exercising |Playing instruments |Writing |

|Fixing things |Playing games | |

|Future-thinking |Playing sports | |

Interests – Choose 3 to 5

Your interests are the things that you’re interested in, things that you’re passionate about, problems you’d like to solve, things that make you angry, or things that drive you crazy. For this part of the exercise, choose up to five interests. Note: If there are words that are not listed that you’re interested in, add them to your list.

|Government/Politics |Business |Entrepreneurship |

|Farming/Agriculture |History |Medicine/Medical Care |

|Toys/Games |Clothing/Fashion |Writing/Publishing |

|Beauty |Languages |Hotels/Event Planning |

|Cars/Driving |Safety/Security |Entertainment |

|Electronics |Education |Computers/Technology |

|Diversity |Transportation |Mental/Emotional Health |

|Sports/Athletics |Children Issues |Home Improvement |

|Dance |Nutrition/Food |Religion/Spiritual |

|Energy |Music/Radio |Housing/Real Estate |

|Law/Justice |Military |Math/Statistics |

|Animals/Pets |Families/Relationships |Landscape |

|Design |Exercise/Fitness |Theater/Acting |

|Disabilities |Aviation/Flying |Plants/Flowers |

|Environment/Nature |Marketing/Sales |Self-Help/Personal Growth |

|Humor |Furniture/Antiques |Social Media |

|Money/Finance |Books/Libraries |Cooking |

|Philanthropy |Recreation/Outdoors |Forensics/Death/Mortician |

|Boating/Water |Health/Wellness |Sexuality |

|Travel/Tourism |Television/Movies/Film |Photography |

|Arts/Crafts |Weather |Sciences |

Audience – Choose 3 to 5

Your audiences are the people/groups you’d like to help, those you could see yourself working with, or those that you could see benefiting from what you could share. For this part of the exercise, choose up to five audiences. Note: If there are people/groups that are not listed that you’d like to be involved with, add them to your list.

|Business Owners |Entrepreneurs |Athletes |

|Young Children |Communities/Neighborhoods |Deaf/Hearing Impaired |

|Special Needs - Mentally |Special Needs - Physically |Disaster Victims |

|High School Students |Infants/Babies |College Students |

|Creative People |Blind/Visually Impaired |High Level Executives |

|K-12 Education (Teachers, Staff) |Families (includes your own) |Higher Education (Faculty, Staff) |

|Specific Medical Issues |Specific Ethnic/Racial Groups |Substance Abusers |

|Poverty/Rural Areas |“Do-It-Yourself” (DIY) People |Religious Organizations |

|Mothers and/or Fathers |People from Other Countries |Single Parents |

|Delinquents |People in Emotional Crisis |Elderly/Seniors |

|Females/Males |At-Risk Groups |Gangs/Gang Members |

|Homeless People |Farmers |Entertainers/Celebrities |

|Children in Foster Care |Animals |Pregnant Teens/Adults |

|Unhealthy People |Orphans/Runaways |Physically Abused |

|Artists/Performers |Prisoners |Immigrants |

|Veterans/Military |Marriages |Single People |

|Adults |LGBTQA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Asexual) |

| |

Action – Choose 3 to 5

Action words describe how you will help others, words that inspire you to take action. They may also be words that describe the work you’d like to do for the audience chosen in the previous activity. For this part of the exercise, choose up to five action words. Note: If there are people/groups that are not listed that you’d like to be involved with, add them to your list.

Discover Empower Teach Prepare Engage Entertain Foster

Encourage Inspire Change Motivate Create Train Provide

Lead Promote Coordinate Enable Advise Advocate Help

Educate Coach Demonstrate Develop Explain Guide Inform

Instruct Nurture Show Influence Cultivate Examine Feed

Counsel Study Make Design Connect Enlist Employ

Assist Facilitate Evaluate Deliver Contribute Construct Mentor

Support Collaborate Build Worship Uplift Transform Unlock

Listen Share Surrender Savor Restore Rejuvenate Reclaim

Prepare Promise Pursue Live Love Lift Invite

Improve Imagine Heal Dream Free Express Explore

Eliminate Direct Gather

Once you have your list of words for the Talents and Gifts, Interests, Audiences, and Action categories, make sure to list your answers to the various categories on the Life Design U Worksheet.

Bill Examples:

• Talents and Gifts – coming up with new ideas, future-thinking, inspiring others, facilitating workshops/trainings,

• Interests – self-help/personal growth, education, health/wellness, sports

• Audience – faculty/staff in higher education, college students, people looking for direction in life,

• Action – discover, empower, facilitate, inspire, motivate, reflect, play

Meaningful Work Statement

After you've come up with your “words,” it’s time to come up with ONE sentence that sums up what you'd like to do, who you'd like to help, and (possibly) how you plan to help them - your Meaningful Work Statement. If you have multiple interests and/or multiple audiences, create several statements, using the results from the previous short activities. Feel free to construct as many meaningful statements as you desire, especially if you have multiple interests. Multiple statements may provide you an opportunity to select one statement to start with right away or you may find ways to combine/connect multiple statements into one. Once you narrow down your options to one to three meaningful work statements and take the Meaningful Work Statement Quiz, you may also include how your audience will benefit from your Meaningful Work. Again, limit your statement to just ONE sentence to make this process easy for you. There are several templates below that may help you construct your statement. Feel free to modify as you see fit. Feel free to use the space on the back of your Life Design U Worksheet to write down your statements. To make things easy for you, limit yourself to just one word per category to construct your statement. Note: If you have multiple interests, create multiple statements.

Sample Templates:

• I will use my talents and gifts in (talents and gifts) to (action) (audience) so that (benefit or impact).

• I will use my interests in (interests) to (action) (audience) so that (benefit or impact).

• I will (action) (audience) so that (benefit or impact) because I have talents and gifts in (talents and gifts).

• I will (action) (audience) so that (benefit or impact) because I have interests in (interests).

• Or create a combination of templates above or create your own template that works best for you.

You can also create a statement by completing one of the following sentence starters:

• My meaningful work…

• I am here to…

Bill’s Examples:

• I will use my talents and gifts in training and facilitation to inspire faculty and staff in higher education to create meaningful experiences at work.

• I will use my Interests in personal growth/development to empower college students to “find their why.”

• I will inspire people looking for direction in life so that they can be successful because I have interests in self-help/personal development.

• My meaningful work allows me to facilitate and teach personal growth/self-help activities to students, faculty and staff in higher education to create meaningful lives.

• I am here to empower people who are lost and without direction to start the process of creating lives that matter.

Use the space below to jot down a few Meaningful Work Statement(s):

Once you have a few, see if you can come up with one or two meaningful work statement(s) that encompasses many of your attributes.

Bill’s Final Statement:

• I am here to empower students, faculty, and staff in higher education through teaching and facilitating workshops/trainings to look within themselves to recognize their unique purpose to create meaningful experiences that make a difference through creativity, reflection, connection, and play.

Meaningful Work Quiz

Statement 1

1. __________ 2. __________ 3. __________ 4. __________ 5. __________ 6. __________

Statement 2

1. __________ 2. __________ 3. __________ 4. __________ 5. __________ 6. __________

Personal Manifesto (Rules for Living)

The last part of this session will have you construct a personal manifesto. A manifesto is a declaration of your beliefs, opinions, motives, and intentions. It is simply a document that declares what is important to you. View your Personal Manifesto as your “rules for living.” Your Personal Manifesto functions as both a statement of principles and a bold, sometimes rebellious, call to action. What makes your Manifesto so valuable is the fact that it is a constant source of inspiration to you, one that can often be easily read every day. Think of your Manifesto as a promise to yourself, every day. What are the things most important to you, the things you value the most – the declarations you promise yourself to do every day? You may also use the results from the previous exercises to come up with your Personal Manifesto statements. For this activity, you will come up with at least three (3) statements that will serve you well on a daily basis.

Some of your statements might include the following:

• How you want to treat your partner.

• How you want to handle challenges, hardships, struggles, obstacles.

• How you want to treat your body.

• How you want to serve people on a daily basis.

• How you want to learn.

• How you want to live your life.

• How you want to be remembered.

• What you want to achieve.

• Who you want to be, what you want to become.

• How you want to treat other people - may include family, friends, people you meet every day.

• How you interact with the world.

• How you use your talents, gifts, and strengths.

• What you want your life to look like.

Personal Manifesto examples

• Devote yourself to a mission to serve others.

• Live extraordinary.

• Make every day an adventure.

• Consciously choose your actions.

• When you’re discouraged, forget yourself and uplift others.

• Plant seeds for others to harvest.

• Keep moving forward…no matter what.

• Choose long-term growth over immediate gratification.

• Be an initiator, not a criticizer. Be a player, not a spectator.

• Be a sculptor. Leave your fingerprints on the hearts of those you touch.

• The only way to succeed is to follow my heart.

• Don’t lie on your deathbed tortured by “if only’s.”

• The world is better because you lived.

• I am not held captive by fear.

• While others complain about problems, I create solutions and opportunities.

• I cherish innovation as a noble purpose.

• I make the world better, brighter, happier.

• The status quo is my enemy.

• I am proud to be a pioneer, renegade, idealist, visionary.

• I am not a cog in another man’s machine.

• The riskiest life is playing it safe.

• Life’s only guarantee is my freedom to choose my responses to circumstances.

Bill’s Examples

• Live to be 1% better every day.

• If you don’t have anything nice to say, keep your damn mouth shut. If you have something mean to say, find a nice way to say it.

• Always explore ways to inspire positive change in your life and the lives of others.

• If you apologize, follow these three steps: (1) I’m sorry. (2) it was my fault. (3) How do I make it right?

• Every day is a new day. Get your ass out of bed and make it better!

• Even if you don’t always show it, love unconditionally.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download