Self Discovery: Things you must Know and Do
One of the worst things that can happen to a man or woman is to live his or her life without discovering the true purpose of his/her creation, the essence of his/her being. The ups and downs of life have a way of making us lose sight of who we truly are and what we truly want to become. The ability to discover oneself is a first critical step in living a life of purpose and vision, living one’s original life, and not the life dictated by our friends, our parents, our circumstances, our challenges. And no matter one’s age (18 or 70 years old), taking the journey of self-discovery is important to achieving real happiness, and a sense of fulfilment which every man craves.
In my experience as a training professional who has facilitated several programmes for private and public organizations in Nigeria and within Africa, I have met thousands of people who felt unexcited or downright miserable about the work they do, and yet have no clear ideas what else they can do with their lives, or are perhaps very afraid to explore other opportunities that seem exciting or more fulfilling for them. They are held captives by the “golden handcuff” despite their unhappiness with the daily grinds.
So, my dear reader, I have a few questions to ask you: Do you live your daily life doing the things that matter most to you, things you are interested in? Have you discovered your key talents, skills and abilities? Are you making the right kind of impact for your life – using your talents? Are you meeting the right kind of people you would like to meet? Are you living daily in ways that make you feel fulfilled and happy? Do you consider yourself living a meaningful life?
Does your current work or job give you the opportunity to showcase your strengths? Do you find any connect between what you are doing today, and the future you truly desire or dream of? In fact, do you love the work you do now – either because it is your ultimate career goal, or that it is strongly connected to and would lead you to the future career or life you desire? Is that future even clearly defined by you? That is, are you clear about your vision, mission, and purpose in life? Do you know who you truly are?
Now, if you answered NO to any of the above questions (or you are not sure what your answer is), trust me, you are not alone. Millions of people around you have no clues what their lives are about; they have not discovered themselves. Or they are unable to do something about who they truly are. Many have fallen asleep on the driver’s wheel of their lives.
The good news is that YOU can do something about it – starting right now. This article is dedicated to all persons who are genuinely committed to begin or continue on the journey of self-discovery or those who are confused along the way – whether you are an employee, a freelancer, an entrepreneur, or just a family man or woman. While the journey is not quite straight-forward, with a good guide and mentoring, you can arrive safely, and create the kind of impact and success that is right for you.
To be continued.