Maximize Career Discovery - Seven Success Stories Exercise

This is a slightly adapted version of a Richard Bolles classic exercise from “What Color Is Your Parachute?”

Following up on your Life Line List from yesterday's post...pick seven of them with two qualifications… it was something you did that was enjoyable in some way and there was some kind of accomplishment at the end. Write down the specifics in a very detailed way. Use the following question prompts to help add to the detail:

What exactly did you do? Paragraph one should be an overview of what you did including both qualitative results… “It was a successful ______” and quantitative results which might include some kind if numbers if it applies. Some accomplishments are harder to quantify with a number. Don’t leave the story out for that reason.

Why did you do it? Paragraph two should contain a brief account of your motivation or the meaning it had for you.

How exactly did you do it? Paragraph three should contain a detailed, step-by-step description of what occurred from beginning to end.

Where did it occur? This may or may not be important…. But go ahead and add this in.

With whom did you do it? Who was around at the time. This maybe specific names of people, but more likely it will be categories of people like friends, competitors, supervisor, etc..

Dale’s Story #1 Sample: My Sixth Grade Class Speech

In the fall before the 1968 election I gave a speech supporting a political candidate. It was delivered before about 30 of my classmates and teacher in the 6th grade. At the end my classmates cheered wildly and gave a standing ovation.


I was convinced the election of this candidate would make a positive difference for the country. I also believed that giving a good speech had the power to influence people.


First researched the candidate and his positions. I obtained campaign brochures written about the candidate. I took the content and adapted it to my own language and style writing a short speech. I rehearsed the speech many times with inflection, pauses, and so forth. I delivered it to the class with enthusiasm.

Go back and underline the verbs. This will give strength clues on what you may do well. Circle the nouns or subjects for clues on what you may be passionate about. Put adjectives or adverbs in brackets or parenthesis for positive qualities you may possess.

Pick a total of seven successes in this manner and write a few paragraphs about each.

This will give you an additional window into your talent/skills, passions, and unique style!