Winter is a season of preparation, an opportunity to plan for next season’s crop before planting. It’s wise to intentionally declare a season of preparation when you’re in a time of change in your life, also. A season of preparation allows you to get intentional about what you want in your life.
What reward do you want for your labors? What is the fruit you’re looking for in this season of your life? Is it professional opportunity, deepened family relationships, contributing to your community or additional learning? Any of these results could be the goal that precipitates a season of preparation.
Here are some areas to consider as you prepare for your next season and the fruit you’re looking to harvest:
- Your story is the basis of Your Personal Brand. It consists of your experiences – both in your work and your personal life. For many of us, we’ve experienced this as two very separate spheres. In reality these two spheres overlap in many ways. Your identity and experiences in one area of your life impact and influence all areas of your life.
- Our thoughts and feelings influence how we act. What kinds of things are you exposing yourself to as you go through your day? Every interaction, every conversation, every media exposure you have feeds your mind and has at least a small part in shaping your thoughts. Consider this: whether your taste in commentary leans more toward NPR, Sean Hannity or Glenn Beck, the time you spend listening to any of these shapes your thinking. Be intentional in what you feed your mind. Make sure your thought diet contains ideas that are positive and provides you with needed stimulation to obtain the harvest you desire.
- Who are your connections? Do your connections have similar goals? To harvest specific rewards in your life, you must cultivate the connections to make that happen. If a gardener wants cherry tomatoes at the end of the season, he doesn’t plant sunflower seeds in the spring. Likewise, if you want to build a business serving accountants, you don’t devote all your time to organizations made up of auto salesmen. With whom do you need to connect to reap the harvest you desire? What can you provide to them as part of developing a relationship with them?
Developing your story, feeding your mind and cultivating connections are all part of preparing for the harvest you’re looking to gather in the coming season of your life. Your Personal Brand emerges out of your story and is supported by a positive mindset and connections with others.
One way to get intentional about Your Personal Brand is carving out time to intentionally build it. Join us for a Saturday morning workshop series to develop Your Personal Brand.
Where do you need a season of preparation in your life?
