Anyone who is adept at what they do in any capacity starts with a vision. This vision stems from the individual's unique perspective, shaped by their experiences and level of understanding. What one creates and ultimately manifests is a direct reflection of the way one envisions the project, task, or ultimately one's life.
Self-knowledge is critical in this regard, for, without it, there is no solid foundational viewpoint from which to create. Your special gifts seek expression. The primary task is to discover what your gifts are. Many think that they possess nothing special within them that anyone would respond to or care about. This simply is not true. So where do you start to discover your vision?
It is a matter of determining your perspective. Consider the program "Project Runway." If you have not seen this reality show, it is a contest among fashion designers to win the chance to start their own line. Each week they get a challenge that frames the fashion design they create that week. No matter what the challenge - to create their own fabrics, to dress a famous person to attend an award ceremony, or to make a children's look - the judges expect the designers to approach it from their own point of view. This includes how each designer interprets the challenge, uses their sensibilities to choose fabrics, draw their designs, and conceptualize the person for whom they are designing. All of this requires them to draw from their experience, how they view the world, and their skill set. Sometimes, their vision exceeds their abilities and they have difficulty creating what they have in mind.
It is the same with any task; your skills must be in place in order to create what you conceptualize. Your conceptualization is a reflection of your personal viewpoint and understanding of your experience. Anytime you approach a problem, perform your daily routine, or determine the best way to complete a task, you are demonstrating your personal perspective. Much of it occurs automatically. Now it is time to pay more attention to what you feel is important and how you choose to deal with it.
Ask yourself the following questions:
1. What do I gravitate toward most often?
2. What are my favorite subjects, hobbies, TV shows?
3. What is a common theme that is evident from the first two questions? (For example, you may like shows that are transformational as with home decorating shows that show before and after or makeover shows that transform an individual from frumpy to fabulous. Along these same lines, your hobby may be to refinish furniture, etc.)
4. What do people seek out from you? A skill, advice about something, a supportive shoulder to cry on?
5. What is your passion? What do you enjoy more than anything?
6. What did you like to do as a child?
Now, think about creating something, anything. It could be a building you design or a process to increase efficiency. It can be tangible or intangible.
1. What would it look like?
2. How would you begin?
3. What motivates you to create this?
4. Who would benefit from it?
5. What are you feeling as you think about creating it?
This is the beginning of discovering your point of view; your unique perspective manifesting through the expression of your vision. Once created you can show it to the world, those close to you, or just to yourself.
Whatever you attempt, whether it is in performing your daily responsibilities, your work, or your personal creative endeavors, put your unique stamp on it, make it your own, and create your vision.
There are times when help is needed to identify blocks to progress and move past them to live the life you've always wanted. Self-mastery coaching is a way to accomplish more in less time than treading the path alone.
© Diane Wing, all rights reserved