What do you actually know?

What do you innately know – that you consciously pretend you don’t?

That’s the question, that my very wise friend Michelle posed to me earlier this week, and – like a piece of sticky gum that you can’t shake off your fingers – I can’t seem to let it go.

My first answer was, “Nothing.” Because, yes, my ego is so strong that I think I am conscious of everything about me.

😂😂😂

But the more I sat with the question, the more I discovered… a lot!

We all have internal wisdom that lives within us – and yet, we don’t often pause, turn inward, and get curious about it. 

What might be different about your choices and decisions if you tapped into your inner knowing? And what might you discover about yourself in the process?

Try This Out 

It’s one thing to ask these questions, it’s another to know how to answer them. Here’s one lightweight structure to try.

Draw a circle on a piece of paper, and divide it into 8 sections (so it looks like a pizza). Title each section with the following headings:

• Career

• Money

• Health

• Friends and Family

• Significant Other/Romance

• Personal Growth

• Fun and Recreation

• Physical Environment

With this visual in front of you, notice which section your eyes are drawn to first. Whatever catches your eye is where to start. 

[This might be the hardest part of the whole exercise! I promise, you can always go back and do this again with another category! But let’s just stay with one right now.]

Take a second piece of paper and divide it into 3 columns. Give each column the following headers:

• KNOW

• DON’T KNOW

• ACTUALLY KNOW

Starting with the KNOW column, set a timer for 2 minutes and write down all the things you know about this area of your life. Go for quantity, and let go of the need to edit. No one will see this paper but you!

Move on to the DON’T KNOW column, set a timer for two minutes and make a list of what you don’t know about this area of your life. Again, make the list as long as you can.

Once the timer is up, take 30 seconds to put down your pen, stretch, and take a few deep breaths.  

Then, come back to the list of things you don’t know, and look for common themes. What patterns do you see in the places where you have doubts or uncertainties?

Here’s the last step: focusing specifically on the themes and patterns you see, what do you ACTUALLY KNOW about those topics? For example, you might notice a pattern in your DON’T KNOW column about the future of your finances. Given this, ask yourself: what do I ACTUALLY KNOW about my financial future?

This part could move quickly, or it could become a line of inquiry that you sit with over the course of the day or even the week. 

What do you ACTUALLY KNOW about the places where you feel confused or have doubts? 

What is your wisdom underneath?

What To Do Next

If you like this kind of active reflection and learning, you’re going to love my 4-week Career Strategy Intensive program.

As a recent Intensive client said, 

“Ashley provided the prompts and space that allowed me to identify what I want—and don’t want—from my career. Now I have an action plan to get me to where I want to go.”

Between now and Nov. 7th, I’m offering 12% off all of my coaching services.

Use code 12OFF and grab your spot for November!

Onward,

PS: Last week I sat down for an interview with Liz Herrera, a fellow career coach, to talk about how I apply innovation methods to career and life design. Give it a listen for a boost of inspiration and new ideas!