What's it for? What's now? What's next?

When I find myself succumbing to inertia in my endeavors, I usually don't need to look beyond the mirror to see what's bogging me down.

Spinning cycles on regrets about the past or anxieties about the future are common challenges for many of us.

What to do...?

I keep three questions close at hand for these moments - "What's it for?" "What's now?" and  "What's next?"

What's it for?

Answering the question, “What’s it for?” helps me determine if what I'm about to do or say is worth my time and talents and those of the people I seek to serve. This question makes my aim clear and true.

What's now?

What's really going on here? How should I frame this moment I find myself in? How can I do so in a way that's honest about the obstacles but also sees the opportunities? Within every problem lies possibility.

What's next?

What are my next truly best steps? How might I leverage what's happening to my advantage? Do I have the will and character to step into my fate? Yes. 

And then...

I step into the next moment with intention instead of stopping in despair. As I "rinse and repeat" this process, I find fellow travelers "magically" appear. I also find my goal becomes more explicit, and my strategy more defined.

Paying attention and moving on helps me feel less afflicted and staves off angst. This posture of contemplation and continuation encourages a greater sense of passion and purpose. It helps me keep stepping into possibility.

What about you? As you push toward "better" in your endeavor, what's your modus operandi for dealing with the inevitable "slings and arrows of outrageous misfortune?"

Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker at Creative on Purpose

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