Work backwards to ensure you're living your best life
Are you living your best life? Do you wish you were more fulfilled? Does something feel missing? Let's channel your inner product manager to achieve fulfillment.
When building a new product a common technique to employ is Amazon's press release method. You work backwards by first writing the press release for the product before the product is even built. It forces you to think carefully about the end goal: your users and what benefits you can provide them with. I'd suggest using this technique to identify how to be more fulfilled in your life. Essentially, write your own obituary. Think of it as the press release for your life.
If the idea of writing your own obituary sounds a bit morbid, don't worry, you don't have to physically write anything down. Just think about what you want to be remembered for and who you want to be remembered by. What achievements and milestones do you want to hit? What contributions do you want to make to the world? What would you consider a successful life?
I want mine to say: "ball of sunshine" (something my husband calls me). I'd want to have impacted people's lives through kindness, warmth, and positivity. I want to be remembered as a connector that brings people together. And I especially want to be remembered for being a loving partner, mother (one day), daughter, sister, friend. At the end of the day, that's all I need to feel like my work in this lifetime was a success.
You may be different. Many of my loved ones would say they want to be remembered for a great achievement in their field (Nobel Prize anyone?) or meaningful community contributions. Many would say they want to be known for building successful businesses, for creating something from nothing. Still others would want to be known for their creative pursuits or their life of adventure. Be honest with yourself and identify what you want to be remembered for.
Once you've written your press release, take a close look at your life and see if your current activities are aligned with where you want to end up. Are you spending enough time on the things you want to be remembered for. If not, look into making some changes. Build out a roadmap so you can successfully achieve your aspirations. Once your activities align with your end goals, you will feel a greater sense of purpose and more complete.