Today we have a guest post from Esther founder of Mum Plus Business. She shares some nuggets about doing a self assessment to stand out from the crowd and be the best we can really be. Read on to find out why doing a self assessment is important.
Before you switch off, this article has absolutely nothing to do with tax. The self assessment I am referring to relates to you, your character and your skills.
Listening to the media, reading magazines or to popular commercial radio, one would think that we were all meant to be the same.
Adverts and programs are geared towards products and services that are standardised and appear to offer the perfect solution for all of us.
The only issue is that they all make the same assumption, namely that we should always be chasing the perfection that is presented to us in the media.
Believe that image? No. So why let it shape your perspective?
Maybe because most people do, and we compare ourselves to most people. There are other ways to be the best you possibly can, and no one can tell you this – but you!
Being you is good business. Whether you are working for yourself or someone else, you are more likely to succeed if you are honest to yourself and keep to the values that you believe in.
The difficulty can be that after so many years of chasing your tail, pursuing the dreams and goals that you really desire – can be rather difficult.
Responsibilities, compromises and day to day life can easily derail our dreams and we are left in a reactionary state, forever playing catch-up and trying to solve the next emergency.
This feedback loop is exhausting and rarely leads to the best long term solution. To regain some of the lost ground, and to start claiming back your inspiration and dreams you need to assess yourself.
Look deeply at who you are, at the activities that you enjoy and what you are great at.
Time and reflection are the best way to achieve this, but listening to yourself and others (who really care and know you) can also be greatly beneficial.
Try to be objective, grab a pen and paper and write down, what you really want – not what you think you want or are told that you want. Why do you want that? Do you have a good positive reason, or is because of negative drivers to be wary of.
Next, think of what you enjoy and how you want to spend your time. Add to this, what you are good at, where people pay you the most compliments and shower the most praise.
Comparing this to what you really want can be insightful. If you are becoming good at something you do not wish to be then perhaps it is worth taking a step back to understand why.
Everyone has their own way of looking at themselves, but to be truly confident and focused on what you wish to achieve, having a clear image of oneself and purpose can be like finding your own internal compass bringing with it clarity and determination.
At Mum Plus Business we support mothers from all ages, backgrounds and levels of education in finding flexible employment opportunities or in starting their own business.
We are all different, some prefer running their own business whilst others prefer working for someone else. We appreciate this and wish to support you where we can.
Whatever the path you choose, it is vital that you are doing it for the right reasons and that you are true to yourself on every step of the way. By being yourself, you will be happier, achieve more and live a fuller life. Next time the opportunity presents itself, take a moment to reflect and assess yourself.
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Author bio:
This post was written by Esther Radnor, mum of 2 little boys (1 and 4). Mum Plus Business is the number one site for helping mums find compatible business partners and develop a flexible career. We work with national organisations including Jobcentre Plus and universities to prepare women for self-employment and offer a free online service helping mums form local business partnerships.
