Career Discovery Pondering Questions Sheet 21 Questions to Know Yourself Better!

  • INSTRUCTIONS

    • Below are 21 thoughtful questions designed to stimulate your thinking and help you look for threads and patterns that run throughout your life. These threads may point to possible careers or simply qualities to build into your work-life.
    • It will take time to answer them all, so answer a few at a time and take a break when you get tired or stop enjoying the process. 
    • It is very helpful to take quiet time to enjoy composing your responses to these questions and to answer each question as clearly and thoughtfully as possible, expressing your best and most honest response.
    • A few words or sentences can be enough, but often the 'gems' are found in the detail. Just as we think we've written down everything, a great new idea pops up. So be as thorough as you can.
    • And finally, if you find you're repeating answers in different questions – GREAT, KEEP AT IT! This is what we're looking for - the common and repeating threads that can't be ignored...

    What I wanted to be when I grew up:

  • 1. When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up? Consider this from as far back as you can remember. Write down as much detail as you can – however boring, silly or outrageous. Start with "I remember …"
  • 2. What attracted you to these careers or occupations?
  • 3.A) Knowing what you know now, which careers - or parts of them - are still i) attractive?
  • 3. B) Knowing what you know now, which careers - or parts of them - are still unattractive?
  • 4. i) What aspects of these careers, whether good or bad, do you have in your work currently?
  • 4.i i) What aspects of these careers, whether good or bad, do you have in your work in past roles?
  • 5. How do you currently enjoy yourself at work?
  • 6. If you won the Lottery, became a multi-millionaire and could choose to be or do anything; i) what would you be, what would you do with your time?
  • ii) what attracts you to these areas above? Answer as fully as you can:
  • 7. What hobbies or interests have you had in the past (from the earliest to date)? Start with "I remember …"
  • 8. What hobbies or interests do you have now?
  • 9.A) What hobbies or interests would you take up if you had more: Time?
  • 9. B) What hobbies or interests would you take up if you had more: Money?
  • 9. c) What hobbies or interests would you take up if you had more: Freedom?
  • 10. What attracts you to these hobbies and interests?
  • 11. Who have you, or do you, really love working with?
  • 12. What qualities do these people have?
  • 13. Where might you find people with these qualities?
  • 14. Which of YOUR qualities do you MOST enjoy using?

  • The Bigger Picture:

    So, first reviewing the answers all your questions above, take some time to answer these final pondering questions:
  • 15. If there was something you had given up on in your life – what would it be?
  • 16. What is your dream?
  • 17. What do you want the rest of your life to be about?
  • 18. Deep down, what do you really, really want from your work life?
  • 19. What if there were NO obstacles whatsoever?
  • 20. What do you want to be doing with your life in 10, 15 and 20 years time?
  • 21. Finally, use the spaces below to review and write below the common themes, building blocks or key pieces of information you have noticed from your answers: