:"What do you want to have, do or be?"
That’s a question my coach asked me about twenty years ago and I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say it changed my life. He told me to make a list of 100 things I want to have, do or be. Importantly, he told me to write my list in one sitting, not just to add a few items over time. Frankly, I thought this assignment sounded boring, but I respected my coach (and paid him handsomely), so I sat down to do it. Are you ready to try it?

The first few items on my list were boring, but I became more excited as I continued. I would write three or four items, run out of ideas, then get fired up and add three or four more. That’s why it’s important to do this in one sitting. Otherwise, you might never get past the boring stage. When I finished, I had a list of 101 things I wanted to have, do or be, some large and challenging, some small and easy. What will be on your list?
When I completed my list, I immediately had an “ah-ha†moment. I realized I didn’t want to have much, but I wanted to do a lot. You might or might not discover the same about yourself. This is about YOU!
I’ve since decided I don’t want to climb Mt. Hood after all and I no longer want to be a U.S. Senator (yes, there was a time when I did!), so I crossed those off my list. At last count I’ve completed 67 of the 101 items on my list and have about 30 remaining.
How did that question change my life? Well, as a result of making that list, I’ve traveled to Africa and attended a national political convention. The clarity it gave me about wanting to train and travel led me to managing projects in Texas, Oregon, Washington and California. Ultimately, that experience led to my move to California to become the Managing Consultant of Drake Beam Morin’s LA office, then to become a global project director for DBM. Through those experiences I learned that my purpose, the source of my satisfaction, is helping others achieve success. And that’s what I continue to do.
What do YOU want to have, do or be?