It takes intentionality to live in our sweet spots.
Organizations, teams, job or whatever is not created to set us up to be our best, they are set up to achieve an objective. That’s the nature of a position. So we have to be intentional to be our creative best by making sure we are managing the process of finding our sweet spot and then staying in it over time. What does it look like to be chasing our sweet spot and how do we know if we are headed in the right direction?
- Explore the world & opportunities. To figure out where we are our best we have to do a little exploration. What makes us tick? What makes us feel we matter? Stop focusing on the title on your door and more on the passion in your heart.
- What excites you? When you use your core strengths it becomes obvious to everyone around you. What projects make you feel most engaged? Where do you feel the energy?
- What makes you unique? What sets you apart from everyone else in your organization? What do you bring to the table that no one else can bring inside your organization? Does your history create space for you to bring a different toolbox to the job than anyone else? Your unique YOU will help you approach the job and projects different, and thus gives you a lens no one else can have. When you feel this happening you know you are on to something that
- Put a tag on it. Name your strengths and identify your weaknesses. When you do this you know what should be delegated and where you can excel. Further, as you develop you will start naming strengths in other, strengths that can help them be their best and curate the best possible team. Avoid using cliché words. Be creative and unique in how you frame yourself, your team, and your work.
- Be scared & brave. When you are scared…you are probably doing the right thing. When you are forced to be brave you figure out that this fear and courage is forcing you to engage in something bigger than you…big enough to challenge you and make you better. When we do work that does not scare us or force us to be brave we are not being challenged enough to get into our sweet spot.
So, are you living in your sweet spot? What are you going to do about it? What other questions do you ask yourself to make sure you are finding your sweet spot?
