CSF Strategy 1: Know Yourself
How to align and integrate yourself for transformational change
Strategy Theme
Pursuing a unique career path with confidence depends on convincing yourself first about who you are, who you want to become, and envisioning the life you wish for.
You may be tempted to skip to the 2nd strategy, but there is a reason why “Know Yourself” is the first strategy of the framework. It synthesizes the core ingredients for designing a career path that is uniquely yours. We constantly evolve, so you will often return to this strategy to calibrate your awareness and use it to sharpen your direction.
Making a transformational change requires us to look inward to explore areas that will set the foundation for change. Through exploratory self-discovery, you will build a deeper self-awareness to reach a state of internal alignment. This clarity will refine your vision and choices as you look outward to target opportunities and experiences that align with your internal compass.
Strategy 1 presents a framework of ten topics that influence your internal state and mindset. The goal is to explore each of these in depth, and then integrate the ten topics to achieve alignment and clarity.
The most important conversation you have is the one you have with yourself. When there is an internal misalignment, your lack of deep self-awareness can influence your life in various ways:
Confusion keeps you from imagining a clear and compelling vision for what’s next
Growth is constrained as your hesitation keeps you from making bold moves
You enter or stay in weak relationships that don’t bring out the best in you
You accept the status quo and remain stuck in jobs that don’t tap into your full potential
You feel anxiety and stress from challenging situations and the lack of a clear direction
Your mindset becomes a superpower when it’s:
Aligned - there are minimal or no conflicts between your values, beliefs, vision, and identity
Integrated - the building blocks we will discuss below are weaved into a unique, compelling story that drives you forward with confidence and velocity.
Strategy Topics
To align and integrate your mindset for transformational change, Strategy 1 explores these topics:
Values - the principles you live by.
Beliefs - what you see as true.
Purpose - what you are driven to achieve and why.
Goals - what you want and why.
Identity - who you need to become to get what you want.
Principles - your rules for making decisions to get what you want.
Behaviors - rituals to deliver your desired outcomes.
Emotions - what you feel and experience.
Boundaries - what is OK, and not OK.
Letting Go - make space and lighten the load.
Skills - your competencies, experiences, weaknesses, and blind spots (coming soon!)
Personas - knowing how, where, and when to perform when it counts (coming soon).
Strategy Outcomes
By internalizing and practicing the concepts of this strategy, you will have the capability to:
Improve well-being by aligning your work and life around your core values, purpose, vision, and identity, which is your best self.
Improve your focus by allocating time and energy to a compelling vision and identity.
Simplify and guide all future choices through a deep consciousness of your values, what you want, and who you want to become.
Increase your empathy and love by enforcing firm boundaries of what is OK and not OK.
Let go of beliefs, emotions, people, or behaviors holding you back from reaching your full potential.