The other day, talking in the car with a friend about music, she reported that a friend of hers called and said: “Rita, how is that song, from that band we were listening to the other day?” She said she had no choice…she burst out laughing and said, “What do you mean, man?!” How could she identify which song had such a vague, obscure description?
Now imagine a situation where you are at a relative's house, and you are preparing a nice dinner. He asks you to get a bowl from the kitchen. You don't know for sure what material the bowl is, or what color, or what size, you just know it's in the cupboard, but you don't even know where. What's more, it's almost night, and the kitchen lamp is out. What do you do?
Go back and ask the person details of what the bowl looks like? Do you arrange to change the light bulb in the kitchen or do you use something that illuminates the environment, such as a flashlight or cell phone? Or do you just give up and tell the person to go get it (even if you're not doing anything and the person's hands are dirty with wheat flour)?
Well, if you don't go back and ask for details about the bowl, you'll have to risk picking up any one and going to ask, with each bowl you pick up, if it's the right one. Note how much time it will take, apart from the annoyance, the strain on both parties (you and your relative) of having to go back to the closet several times and go to the person to see if it's the desired vessel. That's if you don't give up on the third attempt.
Yes, that's fine, you asked for details about the bowl and are able to find it. But the problem of lighting still remains to be solved. Okay, you've decided to pick up your cell phone and light up the closet. Wonderful!
What you did was seek clarity.
First, he sought to find out in detail what the vessel was like, so he wouldn't have to take risks and take many trips. Second, he lit up the room, to better identify what he wanted, even if he wasn't sure.
Well then, we must do the same with our lives. Taking this situation as a metaphor, we must, first, “know which vessel” and, second, “illuminate the environment”.
“Knowing what the vessel is” means knowing in detail what we want, what personal and professional life we ​​want, what kind of work or business we want, what personal and professional achievements we seek. It's knowing where we want to be in one, two, five years.
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Do you simply want to repeat what you are experiencing or do you want something different? Have clarity!
If you dream of a professional career, you must define in detail how it should be. Are you going to do a public tender? Are you going to work in a private company? Are you going to build your own business? What sacrifices are you willing to make to get what you want? What type of work best fits your behavioral profile? Finally, define everything in detail.
But, to have the life you want, it is not enough to “know which container” (know what). It is also necessary to “light up the environment”, that is, to know which way to go, which steps to take to have what you want (know where to go). It is necessary to plan (know how), act (know how to do), assess whether the plan is being achieved (know the measures of reach). Clarity is always needed!
There is a well-known passage from the book or movie “Alice in Wonderland” that illustrates the Power of Clarity well: Alice, lost in Wonderland, when faced with two doors, asks the cat where to go, then he asks: "Where do you want to go?" She replies, "I don't know!" The cat then says, "If you don't know, any path will do." And it won't necessarily be the best way.
When you have clarity, the path is easier, decisions are safer, and time is better used.
Know the “vessel”, light up the environment, define your steps and plan your path. Be clear about what you want and how to have it. If you don't know how, get help.
“A problem clearly stated is already half solved.” (Charles Kettering)
