10 questions for work/life reflection

Man meditating outdoors beside a briefcase with papers flying around.

More than 22 percent of job candidates in Sweden are looking for a new position because they don´t have any prospects for professional growth. Are you happy with your current work situation? Do you feel trapped by your own success? Or do you want an exit but don’t know where to start? It is possible for us all to discover our individual strengths, tap into our passions – and get paid for them.

Here are ten questions that are useful for you to start reflecting on your work. Use them to help you step back from your current job for a few minutes, and start thinking about the bigger picture of your working life – where you are and where you’re headed.

The questions are for unhappy and happy people – because we all need to understand our situation better, even if only to be grateful for what is working and understand it more.

Here they are:

Name your 3 ‘best’ work experiences (project, team, role, activity, etc.)
Name your 3 worst work experiences
Name 3 essential elements of your work (‘things’ you need to be happy)
Name 3 ‘things’ you cannot contemplate working with (job killers, if you will)
What skills, talents, and hobbies would you like to have – or develop – in life?
What are your passions? Your real, true passions (in work and outside!)
If you had no ‘fear of failure’, what would you do?
What is in the way of you having your ideal career? Why have you stopped chasing?
What did you want to be as a child? Have you ever lived the fantasy in some form? Why did you let go of it? How could you give space to those dreams in your life now?
List 12 experiences/ skills/ activities/jobs you would like to have in this lifetime, but haven’t yet done.