Reboot

Chapter 21What I know now

In the final chapters of Shoes of Prey, when I felt my identity, purpose and creation all falling away, all that was left was me. A blank slate. Or so I thought. As I flicked back through old diaries I used to define my personal goals, I saw that I'd actually given this so much thought; I just hadn't revisited it for a while.

Personal goals matter

Many years ago, at the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival I was very lucky to be invited to speak on a panel with Renzo Rosso (founder of Diesel and Only the Brave), Nicola Formichetti (creative director at Diesel and stylist to Lady Gaga — remember her meat dress?) and Fern Mallis (founder of NYC Fashion Week). It was moderated by Glynis Traill-Nash (just about my favourite fashion editor).

After the session I joined the audience as representatives of the active wear brand Lululemon hosted a workshop on goal-setting. The format was simple. This is how I recall it:

1. Divide your life into three areas:
   1. wellbeing: physical health, mental health
   2. career: now and in the future
   3. relationships: significant other, family, friends
2. Plot your goals for these three areas for one year's time, five years' time, ten years' time.

I wrote furiously in the session and ran out of time far too quickly. I took the page home and spent a Saturday mapping it out properly. It felt really good to write my dreams down — and how I would get there.

Partway through the exercise I realised that there was another step I needed ...