
What do you want?
I had a business coach ask me this over and over again to the point of annoyance.
The first time he asked, I thought about it and I didn’t have an answer.
By the time he asked for a 5th time, I felt cornered.
He made his point.
How can we make progress toward our goal if we don’t know what we want?
There’s no right or wrong answer, but how can he help me get to where I want to go if I don’t even know?!
I have the same conversations with both candidates and clients on a daily basis. In an effort to not exclude any job opportunities, candidates will give me a bland “looking for a Scientist role”. How can I help them achieve that? This could literally translate to a million different roles.
The same logic goes toward clients as well. So as to not exclude a potential amazing candidate, the hiring manager will be super open. I’ve heard: we’ll know it when we see it. Seriously? How will I know it when I see it? By offering crystal clear insights into the ideal qualifications and experience, I can envision this person and go find them.
It’s more challenging than you think to figure out what you want. This would mean that you’ve blocked quiet time on your calendar or shut your phone off during a walk. It takes effort to quiet your mind and figure out what you want. If you’ve tried this exercise before, you know the best ideas come when you’re not in front of your computer. These ideas come in the shower, while you’re brushing your teeth, while you’re watering the plants or feeding the dog. You’ll get messages and ideas, but you have to be open to getting them. And once you receive them, I jot them down asap as they disappear as fast as they’ve appeared.
Ultimately, we know what we want. It’s in there. Spend some time thinking about it, jotting down some notes, talking to friends and family, picture it in your mind.
And when someone asks you “what do you want?”, you’ll be ready and excited to answer! And, even better, the odds are with you that you’ll actually get what you want!!