The Forte Factor
a Greatness Zone LLC company
Email:
Jay@TheForteFactor.com
Life

Why Everyone Needs a Snapshot

At The Forte Factor, we start all of our coaching relationships by helping our clients get to know themselves better. We guide them through activities and tools to better understand what they are good at, what they love and what they value, as well as helping them identify their triggers, blind spots and biases. Knowing themselves at a deeper level enables and empowers them to get clearer about what they want and need, and, ultimately, how to make wiser decisions everywhere in their lives.

After all, you can’t work toward achieving big goals or even identifying real dreams until you know who you are and where you’re starting from.

We use the same approach for ourselves.  As coaches, we make time every day to continually expand our understanding of who we are. This encourages us to show up and be the best versions of ourselves in not only our daily lives but as your Coach.

One of our tools is a free online assessment called 3About Me. We provide this because we believe that everyone should know at least three of their talents and strengths, which can help you start to identify the places in work and life that fit you best.

So, as I was thinking about moving into a new year, I decided to revisit my 3AboutMe Talent Assessment results. Here’s the word cloud of my results from the 3AboutMe assessment I took in June 2019 (my 3 core talents are Caring, Decisive and Results-Focused; the other words are words that further explain my core 3):

My 3AboutMe word cloud

I remember looking at this a year and a half ago and thinking “pretty accurate.” My family and closest friends would say the same.

I know our world can influence changes in us, but regardless of COVID-19 and how our world has basically been flipped upside down, my 3 core words still are accurate today.

Here’s why: I remain true to who I am. I know when to turn up my strengths and when to turn them down because I know what my greatest strengths are. I know when I need to lean in to my liabilities (the other side of my strengths and the things that don’t come easily) and push myself out of my comfort zone because I know when a situation needs those attributes for the greatest or most successful outcome. I know I feel happiest, successful and accomplished when I’m doing something that is directly aligned to my natural talents because I know what my talents are and how to use them in today’s world.

You’ll find the people who are happiest with who they are the ones who know who they are and build their work and lives around what they do and like best. They are intentional about finding their fit.

I was reading a great article about the evolution of the celebration to mark the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower’s landing and came across this quote: “History isn’t a tree, it’s a meadow. It’s a million individual threads twining and unraveling in the wind. When you’re in the midst of it, it’s chaos. It’s only from a great distance that you can discern the shape of it…”

How perfectly this sums us up as human beings. We forget to take the time to step back, to process what’s happening, to reflect on our response and emotions and get caught up in the every day mess. But when we know who we are and can step back and fully appreciate our world, we can then connect what is best in us to that world – we can see where and how our talents can best be used. We gain greater insight into how we can show up to our world as who we really are.

Take Action
Take time to get to know the real you, the you that sometimes get pushed aside to handle the priority item(s) for the day. Especially right now, coming off a very challenging 2020. We’ve adopted mentalities and behaviors that aren’t necessarily true to who we are, but became a way of being. Recognize where those are not the true you.

A way to start is to take our free 3AboutMe Talent Assessment. It is a great place to start to develop the language around your talents and strengths, and then start to ask yourself, “where are the places in work and life that let me fully employ my unique abilities?”

Imagine what you could accomplish when you know you are aligned to your natural talents and strengths and know how to manage each of them in a way that lets you be who you really are.

By Kristin Allaben

Consider reading Tune Out to Tune In

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Life

Staying Optimistic and Hopeful in Down Times

Many of us believe that if we are good, good things will happen to us. Be kind, be honest and life will work out. But hard work doesn’t always lead to prosperity, and bad behavior isn’t always punished. Great and kind people can get ignored. Lousy and mean people can get ahead.

This is not a discussion of why not to be good, kind and honest, but rather how to stay hopeful and optimistic in a world that doesn’t always seem fair or go according to plan.

As we look to rebuild a new year in a better and more successful way, I find the greatest wisdom comes from the Chinese Confucian philosopher Mencius (Mengzi). He shared: though we would like the world to be stable and predictable, we find it is actually in perpetual disorder and needs constant work.

Don’t be upset by this. Rather, therein is our solution. A world that is capricious and unpredictable creates the continual ability to make things better. This empowers us to look at this moment in time and ask ourselves, what can I do to make this better – and feel empowered that there is always something new, good and exciting on the horizon. This is the key to shifting from despair and anger to optimism and hope – to build things better out of the ashes.

So, if it is your habit to feel defeated when things aren’t working right or when things are not going to according to your definition of “good,” how do you shift to see the good? How do you focus on what is possible and stay hopeful for change when things around you are dark, heavy and seemingly out of control?

Try these two ideas:

1. Take an inventory. I encourage my coaching clients to get clear about what is contributing to your current feelings by creating a visual display of what’s working and what’s not. On a page of paper, title the left side, “What’s Going Right” and on the right side, give it the title, “What’s Taking Me Down.” Here is the rule. For every item you add to the “Things Taking Me Down” column, you must provide at least one item in the “What’s Going Right” column. So if you have 10 items listed on the “What’s Taking me Down” column, you must provide at least 10 items on the “What’s Going Right” column.

See, many times we just have a partial view of how things really are, and in down times, we seem to focus on fears and concerns – the negative. Find a quiet moment and challenge yourself to see the other side of your life. Notice your relationships, the holidays, your health, your new habits, your blessings. It’s only when you can see a balanced and accurate picture that you can start to get control over your thoughts about this moment. Remember Mencius’s wisdom: because life is messy, the mess provides places for us to get excited and committed to making things better. So, regardless of how many things are in your right column, they provide the daily opportunity of learning, growing and getting better. This is truly something to be hopeful and optimistic about.

2. Start small, but start. From the clearer view you now have around what is affecting you, where is there something small that you could improve? It could be making one change about something you eat/don’t eat, spending 10 minutes each morning with a gratitude journal, making a call to a friend, turning off the news reminds you of what is not working in your world, or spending 10 minutes out in nature. It is your choice.

Don’t try to change everything; simply focus on one small thing. In it you see that you have influence and impact. You don’t wear yourself out or fuel a greater disappointment. We know the world is messy and complicated. So make small, little improvements. In the aggregate, not only do they add up and make a larger change, but they fuel your sense of hope and optimism as you see your ability to make improvements to things that matter.

Life is as it is. Mostly, it is complicated, messy and unpredictable. If we think it should be orderly and stable, we will be constantly disappointed and down. Instead, see the trouble spots and challenges as opportunities to improve things. Let that get you excited, optimistic and hopeful.

As you reflect on 2020 and prepare to launch into 2021, remind yourself that things won’t change overnight. But also understand that as you stay upbeat, positive and hopeful, and use those energies to see and make improvements, you will be part of the greater effort to improve our days and our world.

Take Action
Take your inventory and ensure it is balanced. Start small but start right away. Notice what you can improve and go do it. Encourage others to do the same. As we start a groundswell of hope and optimism, we give ourselves the energy to show up to our messy world, committed to always making it better.

By Jay Forte

Consider reading The Key to Really Good Relationships (When Winter Brings You Back Inside)

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Life

I’m Thankful For…

Did your family have a tradition of sharing something they were thankful for before dinner was served on Thanksgiving? Mine did. As everyone got older, the things we were thankful for shifted. I remember as a young kid, I never knew what was the right thing to say, so I often just reiterated what people said before me. Thankful for family. Thankful for friends. Thankful for this wonderful meal we were about to eat.

As an adult, I find it hard to pick just one thing to share as my item I’m most thankful for, especially this year. My family. My family’s health. My health. Our home. The ability to put food on the table. The list goes on.

But my kids? They had no problem picking one thing.

My 4-year old shared he’s most thankful for “dump trucks!”

My almost 3-year old shared he’s most thankful for “the roaring T-rex!” (note: he doesn’t have this toy yet; he asked Santa for it).

And my 1-year old smiled at me and pointed to his truck. And a Mickey book. And his airplane. And then walked away with some Mega Blocks.

When I asked them again the next day, their answers changed: “my dolphin toy because they are so cool when they splash.” “My t-rex Halloween costume!”

And their answers changed again later that afternoon: “TV time!” “A new book from Mommy.”

The moral here is to keep it simple. Life is hard and challenging and can throw us curve balls, usually when we least expect it (or when we’re already feeling pretty run-down).

So when you’re asked what you’re thankful for, be present in that moment and answer truthfully.

As I write this post, I’m thankful for a lazy afternoon when the entire house settled for just long enough that I was able to sit with my kids and read an article in a magazine I had wanted to read for the past 2 weeks.

That was enough.

Take Action
Don’t overthink what you’re thankful for this year. Be present in the moment. What makes you smile? What makes you feel happy?

What are you thankful for?

By Kristin Allaben

Consider reading Rethinking the Holidays

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Corporate

Now You’ve Had A Taste: Do You Really Like Working From Home?

For many organizations, the request from employees to work from home was nearly constant. In fact, many organizations touted work from home as a benefit, a way to differentiate their workplace and attract high-performing workers.

But now that so many people have lived through the experiment of working from home, does it still have the attraction it had just 60 days ago?

I think many people who are being honest with themselves will say “no.”

Consider this: in a survey of 2,000 US office workers conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Citrix, 36% of respondents felt overwhelmed working at home and 28% felt lonely.

We are social creatures and though we complain about our commutes, who left the dirty mugs in the sink and who keeps stealing our lunches from the fridge, we want and need our workplace interactions.

Our meetings are more effective because we can watch body language more effectively to know when we are rambling on and need to shut it down or to keep going because the team is into it. Our one-on-one encounters in the office to share an idea that just popped into our head are easier and require less structured planning than to set up a Zoom meeting long after the idea showed up. Or morning huddles that were truly huddles, sharing space, ideas, coffee and life with others.

Our complaints about others now seems like something we want back because it was ours and it felt normal. The person who speaks too loud on the phone, the one with the irritating vocal pitch or laugh, or the one who makes it to their desk only a second before their start time. Yes. All of it was normal.

So, with a little information and experience under our belts, it is time to check in on how remote work is going.

As a mindfulness coach, I always guide my clients to use the What’s Working/What’s Not Working approach to review any situation. Doing this can help you better understand the full picture of what’s happening right now. This is a mindfulness practice to expand awareness that ultimately improves decision-making.

When it comes to the work-from-home experience, I recommend that those who are new to working at home try this approach to check in on how things are really going. Start by creating a summary of What’s Working when working at home. How does working at home make work, performance, engagement, productivity, social connections, creativity and home life better? List all of the ways.

Then complete the list of What’s Not Working by working at home. Review the same areas and list everything that is unproductive about working at home.

Following this approach equips you with an inventory where you can clearly see both sides together. The next step: mindfully review what worked and didn’t work about the experience. Was it all you thought it would be? Or did you notice that sometimes, things look better until you actually try them? Do you still want to work from home?

I believe this approach is something that should be explored by not only individuals for their own unique work experiences, but also by managers. Conducting this What Worked/What Didn’t Work analysis about your remote employees can not only help managers better support employees who are struggling with this new normal by getting at the aspects of remote work that work and don’t work for the employee/the employee’s situation, but it can also shed some light on which employees may actually perform best in this way.

Some questions to consider answering include: did the work get done as it needed to be? Did your service standard get delivered? Did your employees feel engaged, valued and part of the team? Did you live your cultural values as remote employees?

No one really knows what will happen in our recovery period from COVID-19. However, now armed with some information about remote work from company and employee perspectives, does remote work fit into your future approach to work?

Use information from today to wisely guide you to better decisions tomorrow.

Take Action
Try using the What’s Working / What’s Not Working approach in every aspect of your life. Start with your working situation as both the employee and, if appropriate, the manager. Then try it out in other areas of your life: pets, kids, relationships, various life goals you’ve set for yourself.

Creating these lists provides you with information that equips you to make better and more intentional decisions.  

By Jay Forte

Consider reading How to Manage New Remote Employees

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Life

A Look in the Mirror

Sometimes, I feel like parenting is a look in the mirror. You see what you’re doing well and you see where things can improve in real-time, all the time.  

We’ve all seen those memes about realizing your kids is growing up to be like you.

And there are those “quizzes” on Facebook that are made up of a short list of questions to ask your kids. One of those questions is, “what is something I [the questioner] say a lot?”

What a great social experiment it would have been to have asked your kid(s) these questions before, during and after quarantine to see how you evolved over the weeks at home. I know mine would shed some light on things…big time.

I started thinking about this the other night when we were watching some home videos of my husband when he was a kid. In one shot, he was wearing his sneakers while sitting on the couch. That’s a big no-no in our house; shoes off at the door. And my 2-year old shot up from his seat and practically shouted, “uh oh Daddy, your shoes are on.”

My husband thought this was pretty funny, but my 2-year old didn’t stop there. He had more explaining to do. “Shoes are for outside. No shoes in the house. Unless they’re slippers. They must be slippers. Slippers are inside shoes, so those are ok. Shoes are for outside only.”

My husband, though laughing, gave me a look out of the corner of his eye.

But me? I was so proud. And horrified. My words not only sunk in, but he’s repeating them.

What else have I been saying or doing over the last month in quarantine at home with my boys that they’re going to do or say?

So I started asking myself: what is something I say a lot?

Here are my lists:

Before Quarantine

  • I love you!
  • Great job!
  • I can’t wait to see what you drew/made/have to show me.
  • Let’s see how much dinner you have before we have dessert.
  • Please slow down/pay attention.
  • SMALLER BITES!
  • Wash your hands, please.

During Quarantine (I admit, I polled the house for this one a bit)

  • I love you!
  • That’s great babe.
  • Can you please just stay still for a second?
  • FOR THE LOVE OF GOD (caps required)
  • Are you kidding me!?
  • PLEASE PAY ATTENTION
  • OH MY GOD SMALLER BITES I DON’T WANT YOU TO CHOKE!!
  • WASH YOUR HANDS. This is not something new. WASH YOUR HANDS!

It’s easy to overlook how powerful your impact can be on people, places and things. As a parent, it’s a mixed blessing to have a mirror walking around and talking to you. You can see the things you’re doing well; that reflection is positive and makes you feel good and proud.

But that mirror also shows you where things can improve. Don’t label these as good or bad, or even right or wrong. Instead, see this as recognizing that there are some things you can improve on to be more successful, effective or even happier. You may even see things in you that are now showing up in your kids, like the way they raise their voices when they are upset, or they are always stressed or anxious.

The purpose of all of this is to encourage you to stop, notice and reflect. The mirror is there, showing you what’s working and what’s not. Take advantage of the real-time opportunity for information. Don’t judge it. Don’t ignore it. Don’t berate yourself. Don’t dwell on it. Just see it for what it is. Celebrate the good and figure out how to improve on the other, unproductive things.

Take Action
Parenting needs the mirror. A tiny, walking, talking mirror. It helps you see what you are doing so you can assess what to do more of and what to improve on. Don’t miss the opportunity to keep developing your parenting A-game.

So, the next time you notice something great in your kid(s), applaud them. Celebrate even the smallest of victories. And when you see something unproductive or some questionable behavior, ask yourself what behavior they may be mimicking.

Disclaimer: some behaviors do warrant additional, professional help. If you are unsure if your child is exhibiting behavior that could benefit from the help of a pediatrician or therapist, call your pediatrician to confirm the best next steps for your child.

By Kristin Allaben

Consider reading The Double Standard to Accepting Change: Kids vs. Adults

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Life

The Power of Journaling

One of the best self-awareness and self-management tools we encourage our coaching clients to use is journaling. Journaling provides the ability to sit down and write what you’re thinking and feeling with no judgement; the impact is clarifying, enlightening and freeing. Sometimes, the ability to tune out the rest of the world and just be honest with yourself can open your eyes to greater awareness, information and realizations you may have missed or ignored. It can help you get clear to be able to make wise decisions, small or large. It can help you transition through challenging times. It can take a weight off your shoulders.

As the impact of COVID-19 continues to evolve, changing the way we see and live our lives, I’ve noticed many parents are encouraging their kids to keep a journal. And this isn’t an age specific activity, either. I’ve seen parents sharing this idea with their teens right down to their toddlers. In fact, I recently saw a post from a parent who shared that her young daughter had trouble explaining the big emotions she was feeling. After she encouraged her to write things down, both of them had an easier time communicating with each other.

I’ve also heard of parents who are encouraging their toddlers – the kids who can’t write for themselves – to tell them what they’re thinking and feeling, and parents are writing it down for them.

And I’ve heard of parents who are encouraging their older children – especially those in college who were sent home to finish their year through online courses from the comfort of their childhood bedrooms – to journal to help them understand and channel their big emotions in a productive way.

We’re loving this use of journaling. There’s a power in writing things down, to create a visual representation of what you’re thinking and feeling. It makes it real. It also clears it out of your mind so it stops the continual pinging and distracting thoughts. Left unattended, our thoughts will run around our head, disrupting our concentration, affecting our mood and influencing our behaviors (sometimes not in the most productive ways). Addressing them by giving yourself time and space to release them and see them creates the ability to be a wiser, calmer person.

So if you’re struggling to find the right words to discuss this big event with your kids, considering journaling for yourself. To start, get in a quiet place. Take a few deep breaths. Ask yourself a question like, “What I am feeling right now?” or “What is the thing that seems to be getting my attention?” Write what comes to mind. Don’t judge it. Just write. When you feel you are done (you will know), review what you wrote and reflect on it. Allow yourself to experience whatever is going on with you. Journaling gives it words. With these, you can then better use the information to quiet your mind and make more intentional decisions.  

This is a big, scary event for everyone. The best way to prevent panic is to ensure you take time to get centered and present. Your family needs you to be informed, calm and responsive, not anxious and reactive. Journaling can help you find your moment of Zen in a noisy and changing world.

Take Action
Take 5 minutes today to write down how you’re feeling in whatever format works best for you, whether it’s a list of words, a formal journal entry or even a drawing. Write down the emotions you’re feeling right now. How does this help you see things more clearly? How can you use journaling to help you step outside the internal spiral you might be feeling or experiencing so you are able to relax, keep perspective and continue to make wise decisions?

If journaling can help you, consider how it can help your kids who are still learning – and possibly just starting to see – how this pandemic will change their world.

By Kristin Allaben

Consider reading How Do You Talk to Your Kids About Current Events?

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Life

Make the Moments Count

“Life is unpredictable and capricious,” writes the Chinese philosopher Mencius. It comes and it goes. People come and go. So, make each moment count.

My city recently lost its young mayor. A dynamic and well-respected 41-year-old who was on his way to a city commission meeting when he suffered a brain aneurysm. He didn’t make it. The city is stunned.

Why is it that we move through life in autopilot until something like this happens to grab us by the collar and shake us? Why is it we let things and people go by without really taking the time to stop, notice, appreciate, thank and just be fully present in the moment?

This reminded me of the value of reflection because reflection helps us tune in to, appreciate, learn from and be fully part of each of our moments.

The news of losing our young and great mayor shook me. It reminded me to ask myself – and to suggest that you ask yourself – the following questions:

  • Today, how will I slow down to be really part of my life and be present for and with the people in it?
  • Today, how will I notice that we all share this one great sky? Everyone I meet has an element of greatness, so how can I support them to find it and release it?
  • Today, how will I take a risk on something that I’ve been too timid to do – to tell that person I love them, to ask for the promotion, to be kind when others aren’t, to give up something to make someone’s life better, to go against the negative attitudes and voices to be the positive and optimistic one?
  • Today, how will I see that my moments are not infinite – so that each one must matter because it is the only one like it that I will have?

Take Action
Sometimes life shakes us or gives us a slap to get our attention (most recently, the quarantine efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19). In those moments, we can see how we are mostly not paying attention. So, welcome the shake or the slap to get you back to being more present in the moments. After all, the quality of your life is made up of the quality of your moments. Don’t let them slip by. Make each one count.

By Jay Forte

Consider reading Making Memories

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Life

The Year to Get Clear: If you had no limits, what would you do every day?

This week, our Get Clear question is: if you had no limits, what is one thing you would do every day?

The purpose of this question is to get you to think outside the limits you’ve set for yourself. Whether intentional or unintentional, each of us go through our days with a list of what we can and can’t do. Sometimes it comes through the voices of others; sometimes it comes through our own voice. This is where we find excuses, casually explaining or justifying why we didn’t or can’t do things we love to do or want to do.

To talk about a life with no limits, we first have to pay attention to what we assume to be our limits. Many people say time and money. Some say it is opportunity or family commitments. Some say it is talents and skills. Others say it’s just luck or bad luck. What do you consider your limits to be and where do you get them from?

For me, one of the biggest limits I’ve realized I set on myself is time. Every day, I set my intentions and goals for what I want to achieve during the day and increasingly, I find myself falling short. As a mother of three young boys, having any sort of schedule is laughable to the more experienced parents; nothing ever goes as planned. It has made me realize that I need to better define intentions vs. goals and get myself into a proper mindset for the day. So, as a result, I have the intention to do many things, but a more focused goal to achieve specific items during the day. In this mindset shift, I’ve identified my limits (time and family commitments) and acknowledged how I can change how I think about these “limits” so I can do more of what I want, need and love to do each day.

Another way to think about this “get clear” question is to see it as being given the freedom dream, wonder and invent. Without limits, you create a larger view of what is possible. You can always scale it back if you need to, but if you can only see 100 feet in front of you instead of 1,000 feet, then you miss the opportunities in the additional 900 feet.

Take Action
Ask yourself your Get Clear question of the week again: what would you do every day if you had nothing holding you back?

Start small if you want, but start. Picture a world of possibilities and name yours. More time at the gym. A healthier lifestyle. A promotion or advancement at work. A move to another part of the country or world. More financial security. A remarkable personal relationship. Enjoy what it feels like to focus on a big dream or goal. Get excited about what it could be like when it happens. All of this is there to help you learn to see how capable you are but for you to activate this personal capacity, you need to clearly envision what you want.

Whatever it is, go do it. What’s holding you back?

Are you part of our 2020 Vision Facebook Group? Sign up now to have your chance to connect with our team of coaches and engage with other community members to help you gain even greater clarity about yourself and your goals for 2020.

By The Forte Factor Team

Consider reading Creating Goals: Start with “Be Better”

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The Year to Get Clear: What do People Applaud Me For?

This week, our Get Clear question is: for the you here today, what do people applaud you for?

This is an important question to ask yourself for two reasons. First, to gain greater awareness of your strengths so you can use them more intentionally in your days. And second, to gain awareness of the strengths others see in you that you may not be aware of.

In our work with thousands of people and hundreds of companies, we can tell you that a seemingly universal truth is that everyone can identify what they think is wrong with them vs. what is right. Nearly everyone can easily list their faults and weaknesses, mostly because the world is quick to point them out. You’re too talkative, too direct, too confrontational… the list is endless.

This is why this question is so important. The goal is to help you start to discover, see and understand what others see as great in you, what they applaud you for.

Once you hear from those who know you well, stand in front of the mirror and tell yourself what about you is remarkable. Don’t hold back. Don’t play small. Notice everything others positively comment on and applaud. Start a list. Keep adding to the list as you identify more things to help you balance what you know of yourself so you can see what greatness others see in you.

Take Action
Ask yourself your Get Clear question of the week again: What do people applaud you for?

As you identify any new strength or ability this activity helps you discover, add it to your expanding understanding of yourself. Spend a minute understanding what others applaud you for so you can get acquainted with it and start to build on it. Mindfulness expert Jon Kabat-Zinn stated, “There is more right with you than wrong with you no matter what you think is wrong with you.”

Get clear. Be the real you. This is the key to a great life.

Are you part of our 2020 Vision Facebook Group? Sign up now to have your chance to connect with our team of coaches and engage with other community members to help you gain even greater clarity about yourself and your goals for 2020.

By The Forte Factor Team

Consider reading How to Help Your People Improve

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Life

The Year to Get Clear: When you were young, what did you love to do?

Our goal over the next eight weeks is to help people learn how to get clear about what they want in 2020. After all, 20/20 vision is considered perfect vision.

To kick-off our weekly Get Clear efforts, we asked: when you were young, what did you love to do?

Some of the answers we heard, at face value, talked about hobbies people enjoyed or spending time with family or friends. At face value, those are great answers that tell you a bit about what someone’s childhood was like. But the answers to this question actually have a lot more meaning.

The reason for this question is that when we were younger, we were more connected to our true selves, something we lose touch with over time because we aim to please. Whether done intentionally or subconsciously, we modify who we are to please and accommodate the people and world around us, and the unintended consequence is that we can lose our true selves.

To help get clear about yourself – so you can make wise and meaningful decisions about your life and your work – you need to connect to your true self to have accurate and complete information to work with.

So, when you were younger, what did you love to do? I bet some of this is still there for you.

When Jay was younger, he was always writing. He had three brothers who were always outside and active, but he was always inside dreaming, inventing and writing stories. As time went on, he was guided to pursue a career that seemed more achievable than writing. He never really thought about being a writer until someone suggested he write a book about the ideas he had to create a remarkable workplace. That rekindled the flame for writing and reminded him how much he loved it. A year later, he wrote his first book and a second book the following year.

Writing, dreaming, storytelling, writing poetry, thinking about big ideas has always been a passion for him. He explained, “When I step back into it, life is better, fuller and more connected to who I really am. I now write everyday – blogs, articles, programs to teach others and anything that helps me get my ideas out to share them with my world.  And it was only in reconnecting to what I was truly passionate about as a kid that I realized that the something I loved to do as a kid holds the same weight today. This passion helped me define and develop my career, a career that uses what I am passionate about every day. Sometimes by allowing yourself to think back to when you were younger, you see things that you gave up on – for whatever reason – that belong back in your days.

Take Action
Ask yourself your Get Clear question of the week again: when you were young, what did you love to do? How is this still important to you? Does it (or can it) fit into your life? How does this help you get clear about what belongs in your work and life that fits the real you?

Now take a moment to reflect on that answer. Get clear. Be the real you. This is the key to a great life.

Are you part of our 2020 Vision Facebook Group? Sign up now to have your chance to connect with our team of coaches and engage with other community members to help you gain even greater clarity about yourself and your goals for 2020.

By The Forte Factor Team

Consider reading Pay Attention

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