Industry Confidential

INDUSTRY CONFIDENTIAL

Check in every issue for the unfiltered thoughts of our guest writers and contributors as they discuss the hottest topics in sports tourism.

In this issue, our guest writer discusses the subject of auditing before goal setting.

Are you living a life with intent?

What are your goals for 2024?

Have you started thinking about them yet?

2023 has thrown many obstacles at all individuals and organizational teams. However, overall, individually and in group environments, we all have risen to the occasion. Going through the process of an internal audit will show how worthwhile our journey has been, and given some honest reflection, the knowledge gained can set up future success.

How many times a day do you hear yourself ask someone, “How are you?” But when was the last time you asked yourself?

For most, it has been a while. Typically, when asking a friend this question, our reasoning is to connect deeper by strengthening a relationship, getting to know someone better, or genuinely seeing if we can help make their day or life better. We routinely ask others how they are doing but do not take the time to focus on ourselves.

One theory for why we do not do so is that we have yet to learn to prioritize it. Instead, with our heads down, we run through our to-do lists, take care of others along the way, and never think of ourselves because we are whipped by the end of the day. We move from one thing to the next, trying to live life right in hopes of moving in the right direction. Fact: You can only know what you need if you process and understand your current situation.

A life audit is a deep and total assessment of your life. You look at the collection of whatever may be taking up mental and physical energy, physical space, even time. This complete assessment can help provide a clearer picture of your life. What is working; what is not working? What got better, what got worse, and why?

The life audit process is daunting. Being honest with yourself about areas of your life that are unfulfilled can be tricky. Don’t compare yourself to others. To avoid any disappointment in your discovery, go into a life audit with the idea of self-love, not self-doubt. After all, self-love includes the desire to seek meaning and growth in life.

So, do you need a life audit, and how do you perform one?

Life audits should exist in 3 steps.

First, only review an individual area of your life at a time to ensure you don’t miss anything. Second, perform a self-inquiry, ask yourself meaningful questions, and record them. And third, summarize what you have learned from life’s experiences and your audit to paint the picture of where your life stands currently.

Everyone has more going on in their life than they realize. Using categories, run through a life audit on each to build a consensus of where you stand. Sample categories should include:

* Family, friends, and romantic relationships

Mental health

Your home environment

Physical health & wellness

Professional career contributions

Your digital in-take on social media and technology use

Community outreach and giving back

Financial well-being

Habits and routines

Personal growth through continuing education and exploration

As we learn more about other people from conversations and asking them questions, the same exists to get to know yourself and your current scenario. So, to expand our understanding of ourselves, we must do the same.

Consider using these questions and record them or write them down just like a journal entry. When you write, you are more capable of remembering details and specific pieces of information that you might not have otherwise. If you are not into journaling, make lists instead.

What makes me feel unsettled?

What dictates my decisions?

How do I spend my time and energy?

What causes me stress?

What are my greatest moments of joy?

What’s going well in my life and why? What needs improvement?

What makes me proud?

What thoughts are typically in my head?

What provides me with meaning and purpose?

Another routine to get in is to practice recording your time, energy, and resources. There is value in doing so if aspects of your life feel off balance.

Quick example: if you are not getting enough sleep and are dragging by each afternoon or you get to the point when recognizing you are spending too much time staring at screens (phone, tablets, or TV). If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, tracking your time, energy, and resources may help determine your angst. Recording may be the lightbulb moment to realize why things got off track and are affecting you.

Keep a log on a notepad of what you do each day and record the time when you do it. Also, make a mental note of your energy level and mindset while doing it. If you do so for a period of one week, you’ll have a solid amount of insight to help you discover more about yourself.

To close the book on a successful life audit, you must honestly summarize your learnings. Look for common threads and write an open assessment of your life as it currently stands. Undergoing the life auditing process will focus your future decision-making about what adds value and meaning to your life, what you can and should remove from your life, and your best course of action moving forward to set goals.