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One issue that will most probably
surface if you jump into any significant creative effort is “Who am
I really?” Creativity takes us into the unknown. In wondering around
in the unknown to create what we desire we routinely end up facing
situations that causes us to ask the equivalent of, “Why am I doing
this?”. Or, give the
magic of Creation we encounter the synchronicity it offers we
ask, “Who am I that I am experience this?”
Whether we realize it or not, humans tend to define themselves and
who they are by what they do. The following question help us wrestle
with our true identity. These questions can be adjusted to any
particular aspect of our life by simply restricting the answers we
give to that aspect. For example, we can ask the same question for
events related to, or at, our job.
List fifty (50), yes fifty, tasks, chores, professions, roles,
and/or vocations that you have worked thought out your life.
Include those you may have done as a child, a volunteer or those
around home. For each of them, identify the role that you played to
perform that task in the from of an “I am” statement. For example,
as an adolescent you may have cut the grass or washed the dishes at
home. The task would be “cut the grass” or “wash the dishes.” The I
am statement would be, “I am the son/daughter of my parents” or “I
am a child/adolescent.” Or, suppose you worked as an engineer to
support your family. The task might be designing bridges or
maintaining a production line. You might identify yourself as “I am
an engineer” or “I am a father supporting my family”
You may find fifty a rather large number to find. But if you look
carefully, you will find fifty quite readily. Just walk through a
typical day of your life, preferably one where your leave your
house, and look at what you do and ask why role you play what you do
it. For example, “I walk to school.” the role I play is, “I am the
child of my parents,” or “I am good citizen going to school.” Or, “I
drive to work because I am an good mother or father.” Or, “I stop at
the red light because I am a good citizen.”
After you completed the list of fifty such items, answer the
following questions with you list of fifty task, cores, professions,
roles, and/or vocations:
1. Identify and cross out the five task, chores, professions, or
vocations that you have found the least satisfying. Don’t cross out
the role you played in doing them. Only cross out the task. Explain
or describe in three or four sentences why they were unsatisfying?
2. Identify and cross out the five roles that you found least
satisfying. Only cross out the role, not the task. Explain or
describe in three or four sentences why they were unsatisfying?
3. Identify and circle the five tasks that you found most
satisfying. Circle only the task, not the role you played. Explain
or describe in three or four sentences why they were satisfying?
4. Identify and circle the five roles that you found most
satisfying. Circle only the role, not the task. Explain or describe
in three or four sentences why they were satisfying?
5. In looking at the task and the roles, do any patterns, themes or
predispositions reveal themselves to you in what you like or
dislike?
6. Each of us have a primary role or roles we play in life. Many of
us have what we can call a professional role or an occupation. That
is what we do in life and is recognized by society as doing it. Look
at list of task and roles and look to see what occupations you have
or are fulfilling in life. As you reflect on you work pattern
throughout your life that you do to fulfill your occupation, can you
recall who taught you how to work? Do your remember exactly what you
were taught? Do you see their teachings reflected in any of your
current attitudes, values, habits and/or behaviors in your work
and/or your approach to life?
7. Each of us have a primary role or roles we play for another in
life. We may be the spouse of someone, a lover, a mother/father and
as a minimum, a son or daughter. Look at list of task and roles and
look to see what roles you have or are fulfilling in life for
another. As you reflect on the roles you play or played in life for
another, can you recall who taught you how to fulfill that role? Do
your remember exactly what you were taught? Do you see their
teachings reflected in any of your current attitudes, values, habits
and/or behaviors in your role and/or your approach to life?
8. As you review your list of tasks, are there any experiences
(successes, failures, confrontations, breakthroughs or the like) in
this list that you would call a defining moment in your life that
became the key to finding what you do best and most enjoyable in
life?
9. As you reflect on the information that surfaces in these
questions can you provide a broad sweeping statement as to who you
really are that you can fulfill all these role and perform all these
task? It is probably obvious you are not any one of these particular
roles. So, what are you that you can fulfill all the roles that you
have listed? Don’t forget the roles that you have played or will
play as you progress through infancy, childhood, adolescence,
adulthood and old age. Who are you really that you can play all
these roles?
Related topics
Life map
Your eulogy
Question about our essence
Recapitulation of our life
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