Stop Living on Auto-Pilot

Who are you? What do you believe? What do you really need?

When we discover who we really are, we stop living on auto-pilot and start to live with intention, focus and purpose. Our choices become clearer. We begin to make active choices in our life, instead of making excuses or passively living with the status quo.

If you feel a disconnect between your work and your life, then maybe your initial plans haven't been very successful at helping you carry out your passion about who you are, what you believe, or what you really need.

Think about these questions and consider actually writing down your answers. This gives your thoughts a permanent home, and once you have them out of your mind, you not only have a reference for what to work on, but you also have a clearer head to do so.

• What makes you happy?
• What ideas or thoughts do you have that you haven't expressed?
• What do you value most?
• What unique gifts, talents and skills do you bring to the world? How are you using them (or not)?
• Who do you need to forgive? How about yourself?
• What beliefs are holding you back or getting in your way?
• What can you let go of in your life?
Be honest. Now is the time to start being candid about who you really are. Encouraging those unlived parts of ourselves to emerge can provide an exhilarating sense of discovery and optimism, a new source of energy to carry out your passion and define a new path for your career.

Why this matters...
Successful entrepreneurs know how important it is to stay connected to their dreams.

Performing this exercise when you're feeling frazzled or out of touch can help you assess what's missing and give you a clearer picture of your status. You can then begin to plan a new course or slightly deviate from the one you're on to better connect your actions with your passions.