Are you old enough to remember the 1960's TV series, "Mission: Impossible"? Each week the show began with Mr. Phelps finding an audio tape player with a message for him, left by an unknown ally. The tape began, "Your mission, Mr. Phelps, should you choose to accept it, IS..." Every week, the voice went on to describe a bold, audacious, and dangerous quest--Mr. Phelps' Mission. Every week, Phelps accepted--and we watched him create the Possible out of what was Mission: Impossible.

Phelps had it easy. All he had to do to find his mission was listen. For you, discovering your mission--that big, hairy, audacious goal through which you fulfill your Purpose and create your Vision--may require more of you. So, we say this: "Your mission, Reader, should you choose to accept it, is to develop a Mission: Possible for your work and your life." Do you accept it? Here's what to do.

1. Start with the Lively Vision and Purpose statements you've created.
(See The Seamless Life�, Issue #7 and Issue #8). Read the statements aloud to yourself several times slowly. Let your intuition go to work. Imagine yourself doing things today that would fulfill them. Write down what you imagine on an index card.

2. Remind yourself of your Gifts.
Creating your mission means finding a big, hairy, audacious goal that will let you be at your best every day. The best Mission is one that will let you:

• live through your Values
• allow you to easily satisfy your Needs
• lets you use your gifts as often and as richly as possible.

See The Seamless Life� Issue #6 for our article on Discovering Your Gifts. One of the best ways to identify your primary strong points is to ask five people you trust to tell you what they see as your essential gifts. Ask them, "What are the qualities, gifts and attributes I bring to my work and relationships? What do you value most about me?" You may hear things like:

"your teaching skills,"
"your insight into people,"
"your persuasive communication,"
"your caring,"
"your generosity,"
"your leadership."

Listen and write down what you hear.

3. Brainstorm #1: Identify possibilities for using your gifts.
When you have your list, ask the same people to brainstorm with you the ways they believe you can best use these gifts during the next phase of your life. Look for ways to combine your gifts in unique achievements. For example, for the gifts list above, you might craft the following mission:

"Use my leadership, caring and communication skills to turn around an old, failing business which employees 200 people in an inner city," as did one of Diane's clients.

Post your qualities and the possible Mission Goals on 3" x 5" cards. Put them in front of you.

4. Look Inward. Reflect. Free-Write.
For this, you'll need:

• a journal or a notebook
• a favorite pen or pencil
• a small stack of 3" x 5" cards
• 2-3 bright-colored highlighters or markers

Find an uninterrupted, quiet hour. Get comfortable. Go outside if you want to. Ask yourself this question: "What 100-200 things could I do to feel like I am 'on my path' in the coming year?"

Then, begin "free-writing," or writing non-stop. List everything that is appealing--and just keep on writing. If you run out of ideas, just write, "I will..., I will..., I can..." and repeat this until the next possibility shows up. Keep going.

5. Work Your List.
OK. You now have a running list, compiled from your free-writing and your friends' ideas for you. Go back and number your ideas if you haven't done so already. Quickly run through your lists and cluster the similarities, by drawing arrows to connect related possibilities. Or, use your colored markers to emphasize the clusters. If this triggers more possibilities, add these to your list. Don't be surprised if your list doubles itself as you work it.

This issue ...to be continued...
Even Mr. Phelps could only accomplish so much in one episode! Hang on to your list, and tune in next week for the remaining six steps in creating your Mission Possible and for the reasons why this is a mission you should "choose to accept".

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Coming Attractions!
In the Seamless Life� hosted on The Sideroad

www.sideroad.com/seamless

September 14th

Mission Possible: Part Two of Two

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Contact us with questions or suggestions.
Sherry can be reached at [email protected].
The Lowry Group, Austin, Texas USA,
Website: www.sherrylowry.com.

Ph: 512-527-0097

Diane and Sherry's book, Discovering Your Best Self Through the Art of Coaching, can be ordered at http://www.sherrylowry.com/book.htm.

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