Winston-Salem Business Magazine - February 2008 - (Page 32)

Suffering From Pinball Syndrome? By Cathy Seaver Effective Connections Although the lights were bright and the tablecloths cheery, today’s lunch with Eric had been a real “downer.” Holding his head in his hands with elbows resting on the table, it was clearly visible that Eric was a very unhappy individual. Why was he so desolate? Work. He wanted to be professional. He wanted to be productive. Yet, every day of the past week had left Eric experiencing just the opposite. Thoughts of returning to the office drained him of any energy he might have had. Sitting and staring into space was all he wanted to do. At age 32, why was Eric in this predicament? Why would anyone be in this predicament at any age? Unless we possess a personal mission statement, an underlying purpose for daily living, each of us can become an Eric, ultimately experiencing the “pinball syndrome,” bouncing from one job to another with little or no success. It’s like taking a trip without a destination. If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there! Clarifying your mission in life not only helps in identifying the values that drive you but in confirming priorities and organizing goals. It gives your life and career direction. Willingly entering into the process of creating a mission statement not only brings you to greater self-awareness; it provides the mental preparedness for making life choices, including those testy work decisions. How is a mission statement created? The process begins by asking yourself, “What do I want? What do I really want? What value do I bring to those around me?” Regardless of how others may see you, in this circumstance, selfperception matters most. Take time to be quiet and listen to your heart. Peer deep within yourself and dream. Think about what excites you. What is your passion or inner calling? Responses should be visionary, as opposed to concrete (i.e., enrich the lives of others rather than make loads of money). Taking the time to record your answers is important. Putting your thoughts into print formulates a vision of self. That vision leads you halfway toward creating your personal mission statement. In addition, you need to: · Identify key objectives in living (ex. Striving for the best career performance) · Determine priorities in relationships (ex. Others before self) · Make a personal commitment to action (ex. Daily self-evaluation) It can take many rough drafts to create this mission statement. Understand that it is an outward sign of an inward goal. Put in a prominent place and reviewed daily, it will bring focus and purpose to living. It can become a source for new ideas. It will make even getting out of bed in the morning a pleasurable experience (really!) Any successful business owner knows that a company mission statement helps maintain focus and continues to inspire employees. Therefore, it is only logical that individuals should have their own mission statements to stir that internal passion and call for a personal commitment to action. Once a mission statement exists, implementing it on a daily basis can be a challenge. Certainly people and incidents can sour the day. A manager is curt in responding to your question. Meeting an unexpected deadline suddenly becomes your added responsibility. Without dedicated focus to that daily purpose, hitting these types of roadblocks will keep you from moving forward. Adopting can-do thinking is essential. There is no room for negativism. That’s right… no Stinkin’ Thinkin’. Instead, you must believe that, regardless of what the day offers, there will be opportunities to pursue your goals. You take control of your life. You don’t have a job just for the money. It’s a career, something you do because you want to – not have to. You love what you do. It’s exciting. It’s YOU! Maintaining a positive attitude will increase your sense of self-worth as well as the depth and meaning of your career path. Each working day is another opportunity. You are inspired to learn as much as you can, gain skills as much as you can, benefit mankind as much as you can. Your focus at work shifts. What matters most changes. 32 FEBRUARY 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Winston-Salem Business Magazine - February 2008

Winston-Salem Business Magazine - February 2008 Contents Business Front Stasilon-Fr Topsider Homes Prom Dress Drive Business Watch Frank Myers Auto Maxx Art and Industry Business Bites Money Matters Intelligent Communities Suffering From Pinball Syndrome Local Business Calendar

Winston-Salem Business Magazine - February 2008

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