Identity and Time: How to Manage Your Hours as Your Ideal Self

Stephen Covey told us to begin with the end in mind and I like to apply this concept to envisioning who I want to become in my business.  What type of business owner do I want to be?  Someone who values and respects their time, so they allocate its use with intention.  They set boundaries around how they will use their time and they stick to them.  They have so much integrity they don’t worry about not doing what they promised others and themselves.

I embrace the identity of the solopreneur I aspire to be.  I’ve worked out who she is, and I know the qualities, habits and traits she possesses.  A lot of them I already share with her but some are new for me and I’m learning.

This vision helps me every day.  I align my daily actions with this vision.  She’s known for being punctual and respectful of other people’s time (including her own) so that’s how I endeavour to act in my life now. 

She has an amazing growth mindset and doesn’t mind failing because she knows that’s when she learns the most so I’m becoming more open to failure and trying new things.  I’m actively learning from my setbacks and continuously improving my skills.

I reflect regularly on my progress to becoming her.  Are my actions aligned with hers?  If not, why not?  What needs to change?

It’s a bit like method acting.  Actors embody the personality of the role they are portraying to give a better performance.  I intentionally become the future version of myself who successfully prioritises her time and energy in the way I desire and slowly I become her.  I notice how my language and thoughts about myself change the more I hang out with her.

I congratulate myself on how self-integrity is one of my super-powers and my brain goes to work and finds examples in my life to confirm this belief.  The next time the alarm goes off early and I’m tempted to hit snooze, my brain reminds me that I’m the type of person who sticks to her plans and I get up.

You can do this too.  Start by exploring the identity of the business owner you want to become and get clear about how they think, feel and act.   What’s important for them?  And then notice what’s maybe out of alignment for you right now and readjust.

If you want some help exploring the identity of your future self click on the clock below and book your Time Design session and we can explore them together!