Your Professional-Self is not an over-writing of your Personal-Self
Especially when launching or owning your own business.
Did this quick and discerning exercise with a client last week.
She’s in transition from full-time employment into launching her own business. In the meanwhile, she’s helping out her partner’s business: so it’s safe to describe her as a Business Woman.
While thinking about WHAT type of business she’d like to launch, it became clear there was a block around her purpose.
We got her to list 2-3 things that she really enjoy doing in her private life; then she listed the aspects of her profession she loves the most.
Finally, we looked for common themes.
It turned out, being creative was her motivator.
BUT it was buried under layers of spread-sheets, planning, admin.
“Always be yourself and have faith in yourself. Do not go out and look for a successful personality and try to duplicate it.”
[Bruce Lee].
The practical, systematic nature of her job locked her into looking at herself as a Pragmatic Person. Which she is, yet what she really thrives on is Creativity.
We parted agreeing that more reflection is needed. Material for next session.
Your professional personality does not necessarily and fully describe your private personality.
It is easy to forget that, especially if our job is demanding (owning a business surely is).
“Woah, that’s not rocket science” I hear you thinking. No, it’s not! And that’s the magic…but you still have to set aside time to do it. And most of us don’t. That’s dangerous territory: it is where your Professional You can split from your Authentic you, leading to loss of motivation and purpose.
Does your tummy turn into a knot when you think about showing up yet another day in your work or Business? A Coaching session to shake your thinking out of set ways may be the key to unlock your impasse.
