Put Your Life Story On Paper (Regardless Of Your Age) For Your Career Development And As A Gift To Your Family

Write your autobiography – today. Don’t put it off. Write from day one and bring it up to the present. Every six months or so take a couple of hours and update it.

Why put your history on paper? It’s your story so it’s a good story worth recording. You’re as important as anyone who has written one. It’s a good source for updating your resume, job interviews, and promotion evaluations, in managing and leading with a human touch.

What should be in it?

-Where were you born and under what circumstances?

-Were your parents happy with each other and their lives?

-What was your early life like?

-What teachers or adults outside the family influenced you most and why?

-What did you think about yourself in relation to other students?

-How did you get the attention you wanted at school and among your peers?

-What was happening in the country and the world that held your interest?

-When and how did you first earn money?

-When you were in high school, what were you planning to do when you graduated?

-Who did you want to be like?

-Did anyone advise you on a career that would be right for you?

-How did you relate to teachers, counselors, and bosses?

-How did you spend your money?

-What was your greatest academic achievement- and failure?

-Did you notice any shifts in your attitude toward life in general?

-What was your first job after college?

-Did you like the work you were doing?

-How and why did you make job changes?

-Why did you leave jobs?

-Looking back at certain jobs (or experiences) what do you wish you had done differently?

-What do you do outside of work? (sports, books, movies,hobbies, etc.)

-Did your career turn out the way you thought it would?

-How does it differ from your expectations?

-What is missing from your job now?

-In the future, how do you really want to spend your time?

This should take twenty thirty pages at least. Put in extreme detail; use the senses to paint a picture. Paste in photos, memorabilia, sketches. Highlight accomplishments, making sure you explain the situation, what you did, and what resulted.

The most important benefit of this tool? You now have a wonderful, unique gift to give to your adult children. Think about it- wouldn’t you want to know these things about your own parents? It would help you understand why they were like they were and why you are like you are!