How to Find yourself When You Didn’t Know You Were Lost

Before you can figure out your niche in the creative scheme of things, you need to understand yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, your true desires, your personal definition of success. The following questions are designed to make you think about yourself from various angles. Answer them quickly. Put down the first thing that pops into your mind (before your left brain has a chance to butt in). Don’t analyze either the questions or the answers. Be honest – nobody ever has to see this but you. Now, quick and dirty:

Private

•  What is your favorite time of year?
•  What is your favorite hobby?
•  Where is your favorite getaway spot? When was the last time you went there?
•  What social settings bring out the best in you? Worst in you?
•  What is your best personality trait? Worst? How would your spouse/best friend answer that?
•  What one thing would you most like to change about your personality?
•  Make a list of your friends and look for common qualities they all share. Next, list the people you absolutely loathe. What qualities do they share?
• Are you a country mouse or a city mouse? Do you like more a laid back lifestyle or one that is frantic and fast paced?
•  Are you more comfortable competing against others or against yourself?
• Which is more you – safe and secure or reckless and risky?
• Which would you rather be – healthy and wealthy or healthy and wise?

Professional

•  Do  you want more or less travel in your work?
•  Where would you like to go? Would you travel by land, sea or air?
•  Would you like to do more or less public speaking in your work?
•  How much money as an annual salary would make you feel more successful?
• Do you prefer to work with your hands or your mind? Indoors or outdoors? With people or with things?  (Can’t say both. Just state a preference, even if it is marginal)
• Which is more challenging, dealing with difficult people or difficult problems?
• What bores you?
• What would you eliminate from your description of what work you do if you could?
• Do you like to be in charge? Or do you prefer to be the power behind the throne?
• What do you like best about your work?
• If you could have anyone’s job in the world, whose would it be?
• What is the most undesirable job you can think of?
• When do you prefer to work – morning, noon or night? When would you rather not work? What days would you like to h ave off? What would be an ideal work schedule for you?
• What would you like to bring to work that you can’t? Kid? Dog? Stereo?
• Do you prefer to work alone or in a group? How much of your day would you like to spend dealing with people, and how much would you like to be left alone?
• How many projects can you handle at once?
• Do you prefer stretches where you work like crazy and then take a break, or do you like to pace yourself and limit your projects?
• Which best describes the environment you would prefer to work in: at home, in a lab, in a studio, outside, in an office, on the road, on a set, in a studio, in a cafe, in a tall building, in front of an office, or some other situation? Big city or small town, or small city/big town?
• Do you prefer to deal in concepts or projects? Which is more satisfying, the process or the product?
• List jobs you think you would enjoy doing.
• List jobs you think you could not and/or would not do
• What skills do you like to use the most?
• What task or talent comes easily to you?
• Name something that is always a struggle to do.
• What type of people do you enjoy working with the most?
•  Do you prefer to work at a fast pace or to pace yourself?
• Do you like every day to be different, or do you prefer to slip into a consistent and comfortable routine?
• Which motivates you more, money or a mission?

Finish the Sentence

Let’s play ‘finish the sentence’ Let your intuition be your guide. Go with your gut.

• I have no trouble focusing on…
• My idea of the perfect day is…
• The most fun I can have with my clothes on is….
• The perfect attire to work in is…
• My dream is to….
• I have always wanted to…
• I am looking forward to…
• I wish I could do …. more often
• I know I have a talent for
• I feel fantastic when I am …

Honest answers

•  This turns me on:
• This touches me deeply:
• This is the thing I value the most:
• This draws out the best in me:
• This is the person I would most like to meet:
• This is the one thing I would most like to change about my community:
•  This is the best thing I can do to serve others:
• This is the kind of work I would do for free:
• This is the thing I feel most passionately about:
• This is the thing that bothers me the most:
• This is the one subject I could study forever:
• This is the one thing I get complimented on the most:
• This is the thing that  makes me smile the most:
• This is the activity that gives me the most pleasure:
• This is the time in my life when I felt really good:
• This is the thing I do where time flies:
• This is the nicest thing anyone ever said to me:
• This is the thing people most ask for my help with:
•  This is the one thing I could do all day, every day.