Your life story (3)

Imagine that the chronology of your life is simplified and told in story format. How old are you when the main part of the story begins?  How much of your life could be quickly skipped over without losing anything essential from the narrative?

Your life story (2)

If you think of your life as a story — a reasonably short and coherent story that people might sit and listen to — which area of your life is central to the story line?  Is the story about your work, for example, or about the people you interact with?  Is the story about larger events or trends that you played a small part in?  Where would a storyteller look to find the most interest and drama?

Things that can't be seen (4)

"Out of sight, out of mind" is a folk saying that tells us we rely on our eyes to keep track of things. It's easy to forget about something invisible, no matter how important it is. What are some everyday examples of visible reminders that help you remember the things you have to do? What do you do to make your important priorities more visible? 

Improving your skills (4)

What are a few skills that, if you worked on them a bit, would help you in a very practical way in your everyday life?

Evolving priorities

What are some things that you treat much less seriously than you used to? What are some things that you take more seriously now than ever before?

This week's theme is values.

Your parents' priorities

What is one thing that your father insisted that you always take seriously?
What is one thing that your mother insisted that you always take seriously?

This week's theme is values.

Who is it for?

Are you good at getting your own stuff done, but not so good at completing things that you've promised to other people?  Or are you the opposite, the person who jumps up to take care of everyone's requests, but who never finds the time for your own personal stuff?

This week's theme is unfinished business.

A few thousand minutes

It took us just a few minutes a day to write 1000 blog posts in 1000 days. What worthwhile goal could you accomplish in a few minutes a day, if you were willing to keep at it for 1000 days?

This week's theme is Milestone 1000.

Time is of the essence

More and more people are recording TV shows in order to watch them later. But this kind of time-shifting isn't as common with sports. It almost feels pointless to watch the game unless you're watching live, while it's being played.

And there are people who routinely shift their birthday party to the nearest weekend, but can't imagine doing the same thing with their New Year celebration. For some things, timing is flexible, but for other things, the exact timing is essential.

What are some examples from your own life, things that you insist on doing at their exact, appointed time?

This week's theme is timing.

Pushing the limits

Great athletes have personal limits, just as everyone else does, but they don't accept their limits as stopping points. They push the edge of their capabilities and find every possible way to be faster, stronger, or more precise. In a similar way, engineers push the limits of materials and machinery to make devices smaller, cheaper, and more capable. Musicians challenge their physical limits in order to play ever more intricate and subtle pieces of music.

What are the limits and barriers that you've challenged and pushed against for years and years? What is one area where you've gone forward long after other people have given up?

This week's theme is barriers and limits.

Eat and run

It takes time to eat properly, and when we're in a hurry, we tend to eat less healthy food. How often do you end up compromising on eating well because you're too rushed for time? Do you usually eat out if you're in a rush, or do you make the special effort to prepare a meal at home even on your busiest days?

This week's theme is your diet.

Eating right

Different people have different nutritional concerns. For example, some people try to minimize calories, some people must avoid sugars, and some people have allergies that force them to be careful about what they eat. When you make an effort to eat healthy, what is the main thing you look for — or look out for — in the food you choose?

This week's theme is your diet.

Nothing but books

If for some reason you were stuck in a library or bookstore all day with nothing to do but read, what is one book you might read first?

In sharp contrast

What's an example of something in your life that's clean, organized, in good order, and well cared for? And what's something that's a mess, not quite working, and in desperate need of attention?

At your podium

Do you use your voice professionally, as an actor, singer, DJ, teacher, or public speaker? If not, what are the times and places when your voice makes the biggest difference — the times when it's important for you to speak clearly and powerfully so that you are heard and understood?

This week's theme is your voice.

Fearless

If you could pick one fear to banish forever (or drastically diminish), what fear would you choose to get rid of?

This week's theme is fears and worries.

Conflicting priorities

Are many of your goals "top priority"? Is everything on your to-do list "extremely urgent"? When multiple things demand your time and attention, how do you decide what to do first?

Three more minutes

What is one simple thing you would be able to do if you had three extra minutes per day?

Off camera

To reduce your life to a story — even if it's a lengthy book — you'd have to simplify things and leave out most of the details. What period of your life might you skip over quickly when telling your life story? What years were like a detour, outside the main narrative of your life?

This week's theme is your life story.

More, more, more...less, less, less

Overall, do you want more responsibility in your life, or less responsibility? Specifically, which responsibilities would you like to be rid of, and which additional responsibilities would you be eager to take on?

This week's theme is responsibility.