When it comes to creating a fulfilling life, everything starts with understanding how you live. Socrates famously said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of wisdom,” and honestly, in today’s world full of conditioning, expectations, and outside influences, it’s more important than ever to really take the time to get to know who we are at our core. But… where do we even start?
For me, the journey of self-discovery began with an acronym that made things a lot clearer: VITALS.
VITALS stands for Values, Interests, Temperament, Around-the-Clock, Life Mission, and Strengths/Skills.
•Values are what motivate your actions.
•Interests are your passions and hobbies.
•Temperament is how you naturally act and respond to life.
•Around-the-Clock refers to your biorhythms — when during the day you feel most energized and productive.
•Life Mission is your purpose and long-term goals.
•Strengths/Skills are the unique talents and abilities you bring to the table.
I won’t lie — it took me years to really unpack all of this for myself. Even after studying the human body, our minds, and diving deep into manifestation and the law of attraction, it wasn’t until I took the time to map out the patterns that influence our thoughts and behaviors that I could truly understand how to overcome limitations — and help others do the same.
It starts with uncovering the masks we hide behind.
Being honest about the internal and external factors shaping your life is key to creating change.
Internal factors include your physical and mental health, emotional state, patterns of thought, your relationship with yourself, and your connection to something greater than yourself.
External factors include your environment, relationships, finances, career, and whether you feel free to show up authentically in the world. When these areas aren’t aligned, it’s easy to get stuck worrying or reacting to problems instead of finding solutions.
Reflecting on your life in this way allows you to step back and become an observer rather than being fully absorbed by every challenge. This detachment opens up mental space to really think about solutions, instead of just reliving the problem over and over.
Here’s a simple challenge to start getting to know yourself better: Discover your VITALS.
Take some time — hours, days, or even weeks — to really dive deep. Ask yourself:
•What are my Values?
•What are my Interests?
•What is my Temperament?
•When am I at my best, around-the-clock?
•What is my Purpose and Life Mission?
•What are my Strengths and Skills?
Once you’ve mapped these out, reflect:
•Are your VITALS serving you?
•Are you living authentically?
•Are you focusing on your passions?
•Are you developing your strengths?
•Are you living a life of purpose and manifesting your dreams?
•What can you do today to elevate your life?
The beauty of this work is that with enough practice, living in alignment with your VITALS becomes second nature. You start to make decisions that feel effortless, intuitive, and in sync with who you truly are.
It all begins with one simple step: knowing thyself. When you do that, both your personal life and your business performance have the foundation to thrive.