In my work with both my one-on-one and group program clients, there is one consistent exercise I have them all do, no matter what outcome we are working towards. I have them to keep an “Inspiration Book”.
Now this can be an actual journal, book, file on their phone or computer, Pinterest board or it can be written on the back of their hand - that's not the point.
What I'm asking them to do is to pay attention to what they're paying attention to.
What out in the world gets them excited, interested, happy, thoughtful... all of the good stuff. Most of them have come to me because they are looking for a change in their careers. They want to find more meaning and the only way to do that is to do work that aligns with your deep-rooted values, beliefs and interests.
When they're out in the world and they see a piece of art or a movie or hear a song or see an interesting piece of architecture or come across a news article or buy a new pair of amazing shoes... those are the things I ask them to write down.
Even if it's something as simple as they found a clue in a crossword puzzle really fascinating or they took a deep dive into their family history because they found one of their grandmother's recipes and learned about a new ingredient.
Things that are seemingly tangential to “career development” - these are the clues that can offer insight in a way that nothing else can.
I have my clients do this from the day we begin working together. Off the bat, many of them are a little unsure how clipping out that picture from a magazine or writing down that quote or jotting down that book review is going to help exactly. In part, because I give them no parameters for this. I simply ask that they again, pay attention to what they're paying attention to.
A lot of what I do as a coach is tease out actions and patterns of behavior - likes and dislikes - desires and goals - that my clients are too close themselves to see. What this book does, is allow them to collect all of these items, ideas, and beliefs in one location so that they too can step back and objectively pull out the patterns that they find.
Many times patterns emerge that they had absolutely no awareness of. There is the case of a client who worked in theoreticals all day long, but their inspiration book was filled to the brim with items that could only be created by human hands. Things that involved Master craftsmanship. It turned out that this client had had a long (mostly suppressed) desire to work with their hands. It came as a complete surprise-slash-a complete no-brainer to this client that they needed to make a career change to one where they were then able to create objects in the world with their own hands.
For another client who had spent all day everyday creating art, it turned out what was drawing their attention were things that were systematized, organized and on an operational function.
This artist realized that she no longer wanted to create art as a means to money - but wanted to do something laterally around art that included managing operations on a much higher level. She then knew that her job needed to evolve from “Creator” to “Operator ''. She found she enjoyed the business of Art more than she was enjoying the creating of Art.
I have many more examples of what these ‘books’ have brought, but I want you to try for yourself. I want you to see your patterns, come to your own conclusions and learn what is truly inspiring and meaningful to you.
For some the patterns may come as a complete surprise. For some the book will serve to confirm that nagging voice in the back of your head of what you already know to be true but maybe you just haven't said out loud yet.
So go grab that journal that your bestie gave you for Christmas or that your spouse brought home from that weird conference she went to.
Set up a Pinterest board that is titled (in your best basic Becky fashion) ‘Inspoooo’. Whatever, and however, you best keep collections of things and ideas - I know for most of you this is going to be on your notes in your iPhone - and start collecting!
Write things down, take photos, make quick sketches - whatever you prefer. Do this for at bare minimum one week or for up to three months if you're really taking your time. But don't let it drag on forever. The key component of this isn't in just collecting but in the pulling out of patterns and allowing your brain to see what your subconscious knows.
Once you’ve done your collecting and made some discoveries, join us in Career Change With Confidence (at an unbelievable bargain) and put that inspiration to use!
Yours in inspiration goodness,
EBS
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EB Sanders
Career Coach for Creative Types
My Website | Free Stuff | Pinterest
Helping you figure out what you want to do and how to do it your way!
