Several years after he had embarked on a career with an international firm, Shaun had enjoyed a series of promotions and was travelling extensively in his job. The feedback from the company’s directors suggested he would be in line for a promotion to the senior levels of the firm’s management.

Shaun had set out to contribute through his work to the well-being of his family. He had seen how distant his parents had become and had felt the impact in his own childhood. He was determined to do it differently. As well as contributing to the finances of his family he wanted to maintain a loving relationship with his wife and to be present as a father to his children.

At the same time, the further Shaun climbed the career ladder, the more his relationship with his family was becoming strained. His wife felt the burden of looking after their children whilst Shaun was away on business and their relationship with each other was beginning to suffer. The children were showing signs of “treading on eggshells” around their parents. Shaun was feeling low.

Shaun had set out to place his family at the centre of his concerns and yet, over time, he had lost sight of this aim. He had started instead to vote for career progress. It was time for him to start voting for what he really wanted.

Voting for what you want is about taking actions that support your most valued intentions. This may be about taking steps towards your goals. It may be about behaving in line with your values. It is certainly about how you spend your time.

Here are some questions to help you to explore what it means for you to vote for what you want:

• To what extent does the way you spend your time match those things you most want in your life?
• To what extent are you guided in your choices by a clear sense of what you want?
• What are the areas in which there is a gap between what you want and the choices you’re making?
• What needs are you meeting by the actions you take in those areas in which you are not voting for what you want?

I wonder, what other questons are waiting to be explored by you in the area of voting for what you want?