7 steps on the path of a life entrepreneur

Source: Nonprofit Times

Which way do I go? What do I do? For anyone caring about bringing about change, those questions can be extremely difficult because it isn’t just a case of finding a facile answer. 

In their book “Life Entrepreneurs,” Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek offer seven common steps on the path of the life entrepreneur, someone who leads a life instead of just living it, who brings dreams to life.

The steps in the path of life entrepreneurship are:

• Discovering core identity. This is the compass. At its heart are values and purposes, informed by external factors such as personal history, current circumstances and relationships, as well as internal factors.
• Awakening to opportunity. With deep self-awareness, we become more aware of opportunities around us that resonate with our core identity.
• Envisioning the future. The notion of vision is commonly applied to an organization, but it can also be applied to our lives. What do we envision for who we will be and what we will do with our lives?
• Developing goals and strategies. Goals should be purposeful and prioritized, clear and measurable, challenging but achievable.
• Building healthy support systems. Having a robust support system infused with healthy, diverse relationships helps us achieve our life goals.
• Taking action and making a difference. The preceding steps are academic unless we assume risks and take action.
• Embracing renewal and reinvention. Sometimes we must step back and look around, assessing where we have come from and where we are going.