20040209 Step the next

If you haven't done it before, you can find a lot of raw material in the results from a Myers-Briggs / Keirsey temperament sorter, either to own or disown. I'm an INTx.

Let's continue, by listing significant abilities and motivations. In this part of the exercise, if you're still playing along at home, allow your personal inventory of intangible assets unfold. Consider your career, personal projects, and social interaction thus far in life, but don't limit yourself. Include that which has been neglected as impractical, or sublimated for the sake of others. It's okay if there are apparent contradictions. What pulls? What inspires you to care? How do you best express that? If this is a mid-life review, pay special attention to anything which has the niggling feeling of unfinished business or, conversely, brings a sense of calm or optimism just by considering it; this will identify what could be further developed for the sake of reintegration and balance. Try to avoid listing very specific activities and interests. The goal here is to acknowledge in broad terms without modesty or constraint what we honestly have to work with, what is important, what we must keep in mind to effectively evaluate future options.

Here is my list, in no particular order:

• pattern recognition, coherence
• spacial, mechanical relationships
• rhythm, motion, cycles
• touching, soothing, healing
• fresh perspective, seeing the big picture
• cross-domain synthesis
• misusing tools, repurposing, mcgyvering
• optimism, transcending limitations
• gracefully flowing with change
• deconstructing, analyzing
• creating, brainstorming, designing
• elegant, aesthetic, efficient solutions
• kinesthetic and visual stimulation
• caution, planning, routine, stability
• protecting people from harm
• operating from intuition
• nature, reducing environmental impact
• focusing, following through
• improving the process
• awareness, listening, understanding
• negotiating, translating, win/win
• direct, concise communication
• human factors in technology
• strong, harmonious relationships
• giving and receiving superlative service
• cooperating for a worthy cause
• independence, being trusted
• gracious interaction
• embracing my inner dork
• laughter, the spirit of play
• being outdoors more than in
• deft handling of dangerous things
• guiding, encouraging, facilitating
• driving, walking, movement