Identify Your Wants

So, what is it you want? This page is dedicated to helping you identify...

"You can't have everything. Where would you put it?" - Steven Wright

who you want to BE
what you want to DO
and what you want to HAVE.

TIP: One obstacle I've seen people experience in this identification process is the concept of "should." Shoulds are a condition place on us from the outside, perceived or real. What should I want? What should I do? Who should I be? What should I have? What would impress the Jones'? What would make my parents proud? What is the right thing to want? It's all shoulds.

To get the most out of this exercise you're going to have to temporarily set the shoulds aside. If you find yourself thinking "I don't know what I want" I can almost guarantee the shoulds are stopping you from freely stating your desires. If this is the case, pretend you were just dropped into this world. You have no parents, no friends, no relatives, no responsibilities, no commitments, no obligations, and no one is expecting anything from you. What would you want then?

Who Do You Want To Be?

Get a pen and paper, and for the next few minutes write down every person that you admire and respect. It can be anyone, a friend, family member, co-worker, celebrity, politician, author, scientist, musician, philosopher, teacher, anyone at all. There are no limitations. They don't even have to be real, you can write down fictional characters. I've created a list of famous people that might help spark your memory. For the next 2 minutes, list everyone you like or admire for some reason, it doesn't matter why for now. Then return to this page.

Now, next to each name, write the characteristic(s) or quality you like about that person. After you've done this for each person, got through the list of qualities and compile them into a condensed list. Put the qualities that repeat at the top of your list. Here's an example of the process.

Look at the list of qualities you're left with. Are those the qualities that you yourself wish you had? Do you not already have some of them? Which do you want to make stronger? Which do you want to develop more? Are there any qualities on your list that you don't think you possess? Do you want to be the person that has all those qualities? Many times simply being aware of the qualities you want to possess brings them out in you.

What Do You Want To Do?

Lets take the next 15 minutes and identify what it is you enjoy doing. Brainstorming is a very useful technique for identifying your wants by throwing all caution to the wind. Be wild and free. Forget being realistic or practical. Pretend you've just been given a license that for the next 15 minutes, you don't have to take anyone else into consideration, you don't have to worry about time, space or money, and you have total freedom to be self indulgent. This isn't about finding you a career, although it may eventually become one. It's about identifying what you enjoy doing. I've created a list of activities you might enjoy doing that might help you get started. Write down every activity you enjoy doing.

What Do You Want To Have?

Take another 15 minutes and do the same for the things we would like to have in your life. Try to be as specific as you can. What would you like to have? Above is a list of items you might want to have that might help you get started.

next: Removing The Obstacles In Your Way