Where are you heading?

By Dr Tareq Rasheed
International consultant and trainer

We are born twice: The birth of our body along with our ID (Identification), showing our names, place and date of birth and nationality. However, our real birth is our second birth: The birth of the mind, heart and soul. It’s when we can answer the most important question in our lives — who am I?

We must have a valid secondary ID to embark on our journey. ID here is short for Identity. Ask yourself: 

1. What are my skills and competencies?
2. What are my passions and my desires in life?
3. What are the values that control my choices, decisions and attitudes?

Your skills

1. Technical skills depend on the field of study and speciality (skills of doctors are different from engineers, different from accounting and so on…)
2. Interpersonal skills include communication, problem-solving, decision making, public speaking, social skills, planning, organising, just to name a few
3. Language and digital skills require mastering more than one language (your native language and English, for example) or mastering technology literacy

Your values

Values are reflected in our decisions and in our attitudes. They are gained from our parents, teachers, society and culture and influence the choices we make. Once we follow our passion and values and use our skills and competencies, our life journey can become enjoyable and fruitful. 

Your compass

Each one of us has a specific calling in our lives, but very few of us follow it and we often get lost along the way. A compass can help us set sail towards a more fulfilling life. 

The following questions will help you set your compass:

• Where do you see yourself two years from now? 
• Where do you want to be seven to ten years from now? 
• What do you want to achieve in life?

Setting objectives and goals help clarify our direction. Start with short-term objectives, heading towards intermediate objectives, then move on towards your biggest goals.

Your priorities

So you’ve determined your ID and you are moving in the right direction. It’s time now to get your priorities in order. There is no time to waste! Set your schedule and ensure that you are spending your time in a way that accurately reflects your priorities in the following areas: 

• Personal level: Schedule a time for self-development, rest and reenergising
• Family level: Invest in your relationships, making time for family
• Organisational level: We spend about 40 per cent of our time working, so spend it in a job that ignites your passion for work; otherwise you may experience boredom, stress and even depression
• Community level: Schedule time for your friends and for serving your community
• Spiritual level: Prayer and meditation enrich us and give us the energy to move forward

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine