Task 3a: List my top five (5) interests
If you have completed E1: My early interests, review that list of interests, and COPY and PASTE the top twenty (20) into the list below.
You should list at least 20 interests below. (You might also list your top 50 interests.) If you need to, review the Six (6) step decision making process below to prioritize your top five (5) interests. William Faulkner wrote "I never know what I think about something until I read what I've written on it." Write a very short phrase/sentence next to each top 5 interest to remind yourself WHY you think it is so important to you.
- Replace this line with your most important interest and a brief phrase/sentence why
- Replace this line with your 2nd most important interest and a brief phrase/sentence why
- Replace this line with your 3rd most important interest and a brief phrase/sentence why
- Replace this line with your 4th most important interest and a brief phrase/sentence why
- Replace this line with your 5th most important interest and a brief phrase/sentence why
- (The rest of your top twenty (20) interests. No need to explain why, unless you want to.)
Consider the following when you are trying to identify your interests.
- select words from the functional transferable skills listed in this PDF - http://www.wisconsinjobcenter.org/publications/8961/8961.pdf
- list tools and technologies you like to use
- list organizations where you like to spend your time
- name people, places, animals, things, etc. you like or like to be with or around
- name books, movies, songs, authors/singers, etc.
- (If you think of other ways to identify your interest, make a comment here so I can add it to the GD Template at goo.gl/8UunO.
- Click on this Google search to find more Hints for identifying your interests
Print this list (top, first page), keep it with you, periodically reflect upon your top five, reprioritize when you change you mind, edit this web page, reprint and repeat.
When you are reasonable certain that these are your top five (5) interests, proceed to C: My top 5 stories.
Your interests will change over time
Expect that some of your interests will change over your lifetime; some will fade and others will become more important. That is natural and expected. A basic set of interests will define who you are and what your LifeWork is or will be. Writing these interests down makes them MORE real than just thinking about them and thus challenges you to reflect upon each and ask "are these top 5 REALLY my top 5?". If you don't get a feeling of confidence that they are, then spend more time in the six step decision making process below.
Six (6) step decision making process
Life is making decisions and prioritizing what is important to you. Your LifeWork will most likely contain some or most of your top five (5) interests. Follow these six (6) steps to insure that you are making an informed decision.
- Awareness: An "interest is a feeling or emotion that causes attention to focus on an object or an event or a process." (Wikipedia) "Interests" are things I enjoy doing.
- Know yourself: I will think about the things I like to do regardless of my ability (skill) to do them.
- Explore: Print off the list, carry it with you, review it, pencil changes on the paper version to add or change the list, then edit the above list eh I will search and explore O*NET and the Internet for occupations/jobs of interest and extract those qualities that reflect my passions.
- Evaluate: Use this prioritization grid (or search for others) to evaluate my interests to find the top 5.
- Choose: If I feel confident that these are my top 5 I will edit the list above to reflect that.
- Reflect: Am I consciously aware of the importance of this process and the decision I'm about to make? Did I understand and meet my needs in #2? Did I explore (#3) enough? Did I evaluate (#4) enough? Did I make the right choice (#5)?
Task 3b: Print off this first page and carry it with you to review, revise, and reprint your top 5 interests
Why? Two reasons.
- You might think about other interests or wanting to change your priorities when you are not near your computer. If you have the list with you, you can use a pen or pencil to make the changes while you are thinking of them and then, when you get back to your computer, you can edit your list and reprint it.
- There will be many times when you will be waiting for something and have nothing to do. This would be a great time to get out your list and reflect upon what you have written.
Task 3c: Google Calendar reminder to review and revise my list
Click here to set up an annual Google Calendar event to send yourself an email to remind you to review and revise your list. COPY/PASTE a link to this web page and place it in the GC reminder.
When you have listed and prioritized your interests above, go to C: My Top 5 Stories
Resources about "My top 5 interests".
- "The Flower", What Color Is Your Parachute (WCIYP) for Teens, p.10, Google Books (GB)
- "The Flower", 2008 WCIYP, p.299, Amazon; 2009 WCIYP, p.?, GB
(LWPS post #837 version