1
Divide your age into thirds and put those thirds in the three
numbered blanks at the top of the chart shown here. For example,
if you are 45, write 1–15 in the first blank. In the second blank
write 16–30; and in blank three, write 31–45. It doesn’t have to be
exact. You are dividing your life into three parts.
Now go to the square on the left side that says “Inspirers.” To
the right of that square, write the names of three people who
inspired you in your early years. Move to Column 2 (your middle
years) and do the same thing. Then do the same for this part of
your life in Column 3.
Next, move to “Teachers” and repeat the process. Think of
three people who were your role models, who guided you. Note
these for each phase of your life. Last, drop to the bottom of the
chart and list three people who corrected you — three people who
said “Yes” and “No.” Again, consider people in each phase of your
life. If you can’t think of three names each time, don’t worry. As
you continue through this manual, other people will come to mind
who relate to this exercise. You can return to this page and jot
down the name then.
Now in the blocks titled “Positive Value” and “Negative
Value,” write down the attitudes, ideas or goals that each person
you listed communicated to you — the teacher who acted as a
coach and especially inspired you, the parent who challenged you
to go “above and beyond.”
For example, your first column might list “Mom” and “Junior
High Principal” as two key figures who provided life inspiration
during the first third of your life. Positive inspirational values that
mom imparted might include “persistence.” Negative values might
include “critical of others.” The school principal may have
inspired you to “aim high,” while on the negative side, he may
have communicated a tendency toward “perfectionism” ... a
feeling that anything less than becoming something like a brain
surgeon was not a real job.
Did someone have a major impact on you and help you
develop skills that perhaps even you didn’t know you had?
Remember those people who especially inspired, taught and
corrected you, and the attitudes they had that you admired. Are
they attitudes you communicate to others daily?
Getting Results Is All About You