Once a quarter or a once a year, book a 1-day trip for yourself. Go somewhere that feels safe, away from your work, your life, your daily routine. A hotel, a cabin in the woods, or anywhere else. Leave your computer at home.
When you get there, unplug the tv. Turn your phone on silent. Pull out the materials you’ve brought with you – a writing utensil and a journal.
And then ask yourself the important questions. Things like:
- How is my life going on a scale from 1-10 across different dimensions – relationships, work, experiences/hobbies, finances, health/fitness, personal development, and any others? What changes would need to happen to make it a 10? What can I do to make those changes?
- What do I enjoy? What changes could I make to do more of that?
- What do I dislike? What changes could I make to do less of that?
- What excuses am I making for not making the changes I could make? What actions could I take to move forward anyway?
- What thoughts have been getting the best of me lately? What is a more empowering alternative narrative I could adopt?
- What do I appreciate most about life now? Why?
- What actions have I taken over the last quarter? Do they align with my priorities? Are there any changes I want to make?
- How have I stretched my comfort zone? What have I learned?
- What has my inner voice been trying to tell me lately? What does it mean?
- What’s the hardest thing you’re trying to accomplish or cope with right now? What are my blockers and what new strategies can I employ to move past them? What is my empowering narrative for the journey that I’m on?
Write everything down. Then, turn your ideas into an action plan. Identify key tasks and due dates. When you get home, share your plan with a close friend. Use the insights from your experience to move your life forward towards where you want to go. This is your vision quest.
