“I’m lost, I don’t know why I picked this major, I’m about to graduate I don’t know what to do; doctor, Engineer lawyer or businessman?” These are the words that echoed along the halls of every university I’ve studied in. I’m a very intrusive character and I think I’ve put people’s career problems as a top priority in my life simply because I hated the feeling of being lost. Also, the euphoric feeling of being able to help people find their dreams / passions is something that can’t be explained.

I was fortunate to have been part of AIESEC, the largest student run organization in the world and I was the first Local Committee Vice President for Talent Management at my university. At 18, I was exposed to goal setting sessions, something that I later decided to mold my own way and I’ve created a version of it that I utilize for an hour or so to help people discover what their talents could help them achieve.

A lot of Millennials and Generation Alphas are at jobs at this moment in time not knowing why they are there. Their business schools made them think that their dream jobs are being consultants or working for corporation A, B or C. The below practice is good once a year even for those who are sure & satisfied about what they are doing in their lives today. It helps rearrange time, and take action for important things that might help reach the end goal / goals quicker.

I have helped so many friends / colleagues doing this and I have decided to present it to all Millennials to empower them with the lantern of the future and light their ways. It is important to note that the below version is better off to be done in pairs as to have a much more objective outlook:

Part 1 (Introductions to get to know the person)

  • Start off by asking what their long waited dream is (look for something that could evidently make their eyes glitter with happiness. This question helps stir the rest of the goal setting session because it acts as a measure of how lost the person is. If he / she says his / her dream and it has been his / her dream since he / she was a child, then you could skip to part two of goal setting.)
  • When you were at school at the age of 5 what did you say you wanted to be when you grew up? (This is usually the big dream that never goes away)
  • How did this change at the age of 13 and 18, respectively and what did you want to be at those ages? (teenage tendencies, the latter being much more realistic and that is what we go for)
  • If you were to pick between math and literature what would you pick? How was your relationship with math? Do you like Geometry more or Algebra?(Tells you whether they are numeric, art based, writer based and to what extent. )
  • Did your parents push you to the major you graduated from today? (A question of dependency)
  • What were your incentives for going into the major you went into? (Answer will probably be “I didn’t know it seemed like a safe choice”, look for that)
  • If you were walking into a bookstore what magazine would you pick up immediately (lifestyle, cars, electronics… etc)
  • Do you enjoy reading books or listening to them? (this will explain whether they are more visual or listening individuals)
  • Which of your senses could you not live without?
  • Who was your male / female idol and why? (for the female ask for the female figure and vice versa)

Part 2 (Time management)

  • Would you consider yourself lazy or active? (if he / she says active ask him / her to showcase a typical day in his / her life)
  • Draw a circle and cut it into four parts: family & friends, love & relationship, alone time and career time (put percentages on each for how you think it is today)
  • Repeat the second point from part 2 but for how he / she aspires it to be
  • What would you like to change in your life routine? Do you enjoy routines or haphazard lifestyles?
  • If you meet a career making genie, what would you ask him to be?

Part 3 (Taking action)

  • What is your end game (end goal or goals)? (Make that the starting point)
  • Now move backwards from that starting point to where you are now breaking it into chunks
  • Plan for the two steps from where you are now
  • See if it fits the aspirations for time management or what you are willing to sacrifice because usually it comes with sacrifice
  • Set short & long-term goals
  • Merge these goals into your life’s system depending on whether you have a routine or a haphazard lifestyle. (For those who like having random days because they get bored, I suggest creating 3 to 4 different day routines and alternate between them, this is a system that usually works for me as I get bored easily too)

Please always write down your results it is very important to see it visually especially for the analyzer.

Don’t hesitate to email me for more details Yahya.alfreh@gmail.com :

Photo by: Estée Janssens

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Published by yahyaalfreh

Yahya is a career coach that has been in the field for almost 5 years. He has done it on the side while working at companies like Publicis, Amadeus and 22 Comms. He then initiated The Millennial Stage to shed light on successful Millennials & bring them to the international stage, showcase his coaching platform, and finally bring out role models from previous generations that could serve as inspirations for ambitious career adventurers. He holds a BBA in Finance from the American University of Beirut & an Msc in Digital Marketing from SKEMA Business School. He currently resides in the South of France. Please feel free to email Yahya at yahya.alfreh@gmail.com.

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