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Putting the current political climate aside, let’s remember (without cynicism) that in theory, politicians who want to get elected understand the value of creating a platform describing what they and their party stand for. A platform focuses their campaign, enhances understanding, garners support and amplifies the effectiveness of their work by helping their constituents understand what is really important to them. Ideally their platforms are created not only to get them elected, but also to ensure their greatest contribution. (Ok I am a bit idealistic here 😊)
We could all benefit by exploring our own personal platforms. Knowing what we stand for – what is important - and then aligning our behaviors and living those principles will focus and inspire us to create a satisfying and meaningful life that will serve the world in the most impactful way.
Let’s get started!
Step 1: BUILD IT
The first and most important step to building your inspirational personal “platform” is to identify your core values and then figure out how to align your life and work around that strong foundation. Your values are your deeply held views of what is most important to you at a core level. Your values both consciously and unconsciously act as guides, drivers, influencers and supports for your life activities.
After establishing your core values, the next step will be to drill down and identify what those values mean - in practice. How do you actually live your values? It is all well and good to hold a value of, for example, integrity, but what does living in "integrity" mean for you in real terms? In other words, how will you know you are upholding that value? That will lead to the creation of your guiding principles which will essentially form a manifesto for how to live your life.
Click here to download my Value of Values pdf worksheets for a super easy way to work through identification of your core values and creation of guiding principles for your life.
Step 2/ YOUR “WHY”
With values and guiding principles set as your foundation – holding you up – what then do you stand for? What is your WHY? Simon Sinek’s brilliant TED talk and book Start with Why, examines how we must start with our WHY, our reason, our cause, our beliefs, before going to the WHAT and HOW. Your Why is the emotional element that links to your brain's memory cells and provides the powerful fuel for your platform.
Think about the emotions you will feel when you live into your WHY. What does it feel like in your heart, your gut, your soul when you think of your platform? Allow your body to respond to the feelings associated with the picture you have created. The "Why?" question, once answered, will be the secret sauce that will drive your activities. Without knowing your WHY, any vision or action plan is rudderless.
Step 3/ DEFINE IT
Now that you have clearly outlined your values and how you are going to live them, as well as your Why or purpose, it's time to jot some notes down to help DEFINE your personal platform. Seriously ask yourself - What are you- unique you - here on this earth to contribute? Yes, put it into words!
As you think of that question, connect with your senses - What would it look like to live into that? Feel like? Sound like? Your senses will make your platform compelling and will act as an energy driver and add the momentum to inspire both you and those around you.
Now - create your platform by writing simple, succinct statements, which are linked with the clear benefit to others. Begin writing your statements with "I will...”, "I believe in ...." or "I stand for..." and then add the benefit that will bring to others at the end of your statement.
Step 4/ CONNECT IT
Listen up Politicians: A platform that is solely about YOU, is your ego talking! Reminder: This is about contribution, not ego. Look outside yourself and create the connections between what you stand for and the potential impact on others. What you here on this earth for? What will your legacy be? Creating a personal platform requires you to go outside yourself and connect with others.
Step 5/ LIVE IT
Ah yes, my friends – here’s where the rubber meets the road. To hardwire your platform in your brain, you must pay it repeated attention. Where thought goes, energy flows.
No matter if your platform is one sentence, or several. Get intentional about its meaning to you – and connect with it on a daily basis. Write out your platform, read it aloud daily, discuss it with your loved ones, your colleagues, your coach. Use your platform as a guide for your behaviours. Acknowledge and celebrate the small behaviours or things you do each day that connect to that platform. Each small step will make a difference.
You have my vote!
*principles in this article are excerpts from The Overtone Effect by Jan Carley (c) 2017
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