What do you stand for? It’s a question I often ask coachees or training participants. It’s a powerful question for anyone who aspires to follow a clear purpose, and choose a career that matters. Knowing what drives you and acting in line with that I believe creates authenticity. That in turn promotes trust. It makes it possible for people to inspire others to follow them. Authentic people know where they want to be and act accordingly. They walk the talk. And dare to admit if they fail do to so. I firmly believe that it’s also these kinds of people that make a lasting (positive) impact on our planet.
I would question my own authenticity if I wouldn’t challenge my own intentions once in a while. What am I here to do? And am I actually doing what I say I do? Every year I spent time reflecting on the past year and looking ahead. What is my intention for this year? Inspired by GRIP, I increasingly ask myself these questions on a weekly basis too. Did I spent my week accordingly to what I value most? And if not, what can I change about it?
Last year, I created a new vision for myself, outlining what drives me, to what end and what I can DO to get closer to making this vision a reality. It resulted in the visual below and I would like to tell you a little bit more about it.
A fair, healthy and happy planet is what I strive for. I assume that we humans are merely guests to this planet, and our happiness is in a way secondary: we need our planet to be healthy and well taken care of. Reflecting on this, I concluded there are four major pillars that I wish to build my work around.
Striving for equality and understanding for diversity
I work based on the belief we are all equal but not the same. You are okay, I am okay. I strive for a fairer system where we share the same rights and opportunities, and where we also value differences. The autonomy to choose what you value and how you want to live, while also respecting others when they make a different choice.
Walking the talk
We all have to be and DO better now. We all have a responsibility to make this (again) a healthy and happy planet. With the rights and opportunities we are given comes a duty. I am responsible to deliver results, not just for myself, but for the wider community we are all apart of. We all ought to do what we can within our capacity. Talking is essential, but the proof is in the doing.
Open to new perspectives
The world is changing rapidly. Some developments are daunting and trigger us to withdraw or choose a familiar bubble. I wish to stay curious and ask questions. Continuously learn. Being open and have attention for my own development, the development of others and the development of the world around us. I consciously steer away from the word growth as I associate it with human’s insatiable drive to grow in a lineair way, a tendency I do not believe is sustainable nor desirable.
Care for yourself and others
It’s the commonly heard advice in case of emergency: first take care of yourself, and then help others. Taking care of yourself is part of taking care of others. I value practicing what I preach: setting boundaries, allowing space to breath and have a break, being kind to myself; it allows me to be there for others. I also find great value in connecting with others, and experience great joy and happiness in achieving results with others for others.
I share my thoughts here to organise my own thinking and also invite others to reflect with me. It’s a work in progress and while the pillars might evolve over time, I intent to use these as a way of monitoring whether I am really walking my talk.
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