Pause and Reflect

Whether you pause and reflect on your own or supplement your thinking with coaching conversations, here are things to keep in mind as you synthesize what you’ve done in chapter 2 before moving on to chapter 3.

Read through your responses to the previous exercises in this chapter. Consider the following questions. Write about them and then, if possible, talk about them with your coach.

1. What are the main ideas you take away from what you’ve just read?
2. Tell the story of your critical events and your leadership vision to someone. What do you learn from how they react?
3. What are the main connections between your past and your vision for the future?
4. What changes might you make to live more closely in accord with what really matters to you?

Most of the time we already have a vague idea of who we are and what we kind of life we’d like to lead by our mid-twenties. I maintain the belief that life changes faster than any of us can plan, and without some fundamental principles, it’s difficult to maintain balance and focus when faced with these changes. Clearly reflecting on these ideas and principles is a good way to solidify them and define a plan for the future.

I still haven’t had a chance to discuss these things with anyone yet. Feedback through comments is welcome obviously, but it’s not the same thing as a face to face conversation. We’ll see if that happens. I realized my biggest influences came from the people who really care about me and also people I really care about. Relationships are difficult to maintain and easy to break, yet people don’t realize how much the people around them affect their thoughts and actions.

My past defines my values and not only gives me ideas about what my future should look like, but gives me the strength/tools to achieve that vision. I think for the most part, I’m living true to the values I hold dear, but maybe I need to take a look at my relationships with the people around me a little bit more. Perhaps I’m spending a disproportionate amount of time with people that either don’t care enough or don’t offer me the right kind of support. I would also like to be more focused, as I’ve been living quite worry-freely, maybe I need to plan more and NOT be so content. Figuring out the balance between being happy with what I have and staying motivated to accomplish all that I can (oh boy, the Asian over-achiever mentality strikes again) is a difficult task.