Could I start by asking you three questions:
Can I guess that you found the first question very straight forward to answer. Even if you have no middle name, or if you have three middle names – your answer was clear and immediate. I suspect your answer to the second question was almost as quick and easy – whilst some of you may have debated over a couple of favourite colours, and for some your favourite colour may have changed over time – but I guess you fairly quickly arrived at your answer.
I imagine the third question, whilst just as short in length, didn’t receive such a quick response. In fact, I suspect you haven’t actually answered the question and have simply moved on to reading the blog. We believe that your answer to this third question, is important, is valuable (to you, your loved ones, and our world), and is answerable.
Last month, in Blog #129, I wrote a post titled ‘What is a Personal Manifesto?’ Within this post, I provided our definition – a private declaration of your wisdom and intentions – along with phrases such as ‘a treasured document expressing what is deeply important to you’ and ‘your way of saying how you wish to be, the direction you wish to head, and the contribution you hope to make.’
Within our upcoming book, My Manifesto, we provide you with a framework to help you draft, refine, and arrive at your current answer to the question – What’s your personal manifesto?
The book is divided into three sections. In Part 1 – Priming Your Manifesto you explore six chapters each devoted to a specific theme to help prepare you for ‘the work’ that lies ahead. In Part 2 – Creating Your Manifesto we take you through our 7-Step process. Within each step we pose a powerful central question for you to respond to, we also provide you with three exercises, a range of case studies, personal anecdotes and insights to help you truly reveal your personal wisdom. In Part 3 – Living Your Manifesto we hold you close, and compassionately guide your through six concluding chapters each offering advice about the challenges and joys of living in alignment with your manifesto.
We hope that, with or without our book, you can articulate your answer to ‘What’s your manifesto?’ in words and that your response serves as a helpful guide for you to live your life to the fullest. And by the way, my middle name is Peter (in honour of our family doctor who delivered me back in 1969), my favourite colour is Navy Blue (may have something to do with the Carlton Football Club), and one key statement within my personal manifesto is ‘I wish to show respect, humility, generosity, and grace to all’ (you can read my full personal manifesto at the back of our book).