I first performed a life audit two years ago after reading thisMedium postby Ximena Vengoechea.
How are we doing?
Where are we going?
Whats important now that perhaps wasnt before?
She used a life audit to figure it out.
Second, organize the post-its by category (i.e., health, family, career, etc.)
as themes start to emerge.
Third, organize by time (i.e., how long it will take to accomplish/check-off each post-it).
And nothing has helped me focus more on what I want to accomplish than Vengoecheas system.
Vengoechea suggests aiming to fill out 100 post-it notes in one hour.
Obviously, its not a revolutionary systemthe point, I think, is the deliberation.
You are specifically setting aside some time to think about yourself, your future and how you get there.
Make It Digital
Whats really beneficial about this system is that its analog.
Obviously, this wont work for everyoneyou can add whichever columns and tags are most useful to you.
For example, these are some of the questions I asked myself:
What life do I want?
In 5, 10, 40 years?
What areas of my life could be improved?
What do I believe in?
What do I consider essential?
What does meaningful mean to me?
What makes me feel most satisfied at work?
What do I want to leave behind?
What do I enjoy?
When do I feel the most energized?
When do I feel the most successful?
What people do I admire, and why?
Do I enjoy spending time with the people I currently spend time with?
(For more inspiration, check outthese twoposts.)
And it gave me more ideas for post-its.
It also made me realize what I didnt have written down, at least not currentlywhich is settling down.
I didnt have many traditionalgoals, like buying a house or having a lavish wedding.
Does that mean they dont matter to me, or they just dont matter right now?
Is this the right system to consider those kinds of milestones?
More to think about.
Ultimately, the life audit was a helpful jumping-off point to further reflection and real change.
Maybe itll help you in 2018.
