What are among your "most important things?"

What story are you telling yourself?

Photo Credit: http://flickr.com/photos/gonzalo_ar/

Just the other day, I woke up - long before any sunlight to be seen - and opened up one of the journals I keep going. I started with these three letters in the middle of the page: MIT.

To me in my own little world, these three letters stand for:

Most
Important
Things

So, what is the story you're telling yourself about your own MITs?

This is an important question and one that can help you frame the structure to your day and facilitate the goal-setting process. I can think of a few reasons to answer and re-answer this question for yourself:

1) The essence of what you’re asking is: "Why am I here?" Long-time consultants and mentors in your work and life will probably share with you just how critical it is to answer this question from time to time. Knowing why you are here, at least this week/month/quarter, gives you at least some direction in tracking down your MITs.

2) Listening to yourself talk to yourself gives you some great information. "What is the story you're telling yourself about your own MITs?" The reason I like writing so much, and the reason I journal at least once a day, is that it gives me an opportunity to "hear" what I say to myself. Chances are, if you could actually see and hear some of the things you're saying, you would probably change them to be more proactive, more positive, and a bit more gentle!

3) Stopping to ask - and then answer - your own questions is really a gift. It is purely a way to keep a record of a moment...What's going on "right now..."

Need a small dose of inspiration? Grab a pen, a piece of paper and go write. Ask yourself about YOUR own MITs and see what shows up there on that note pad!