For most, the last 18 months have been the most difficult times of their lives. 

A significant change, fear, loss of income, friends, and even family have induced a sense of insecurity that has not been felt before. 

As we climb out of this pandemic, the urge to hug a loved one has never been greater. As we try and provide a renewed sense of normality in our lives, we ponder, hope, and think about re-starting. Part of this process can include thinking about one’s work, the area of our life where we will spend a third of our time or more. As I have written about in the Five Stages Model (Nathanson, 2015), the trigger stage, when something unexpected occurs, is an essential although challenging time to take new action, which I call the reflection stage.

This is the time to re-examine all aspects of our lives, especially our work.

In 2001, The Ten P Model (Nathanson, 2001) was created as one way to build a new roadmap for one’s life and work during this reflection time.

The Ten P model starts with one’s purpose, and this is an excellent time to think deeply about where one wants to invest their energy that would bring coherence, meaning, and fulfillment to life.

The Ten P model ends with Permission, which is giving oneself the Permission to move forward towards what is wanted now in one’s life and move away from what is no longer wanted.

Post pandemic roadmap

This is an excellent time to build a new roadmap for one’s life and work.

This starts with a new structure and plan. The Ten P model is just one approach to get started. 

The Ten P Model™

A model showing how to create a roadmap for one’s life around their work.

1. Purpose – What is your life about? How will you make a difference in the world? Your purpose drives your behavior and can provide you daily energy and happiness. What is the purpose of your life?
2. Prize – What is most important to you? What behaviors would you have to follow each day to be true to yourself? What would you have to do each day to not follow what is most important to you? The choice is up to you.
3. Perspective – Others have views about you. What’s more important is the perspective you have of yourself? You can always change what’s not applicable any longer. What is your perspective of the world?
4. Possibilities – What is possible for you in your vocational life? So many of us instead focus on what’s impossible. What would you have to do to start believing more things are possible for you?
5. Place – What is your role in the world? In your heart, what is the vision you have for yourself? What are your abilities and your interests? Do they match?
6. Position – What is your attitude daily? What would you like to change and why? What small steps could you take now to try on a new daily position?
7. Passion – What are you really passionate about? Can you identify the vocational patterns in your desires? Don’t let negativity defeat your creativity.
8. Perfect Vocational Day – Do you have a vision of your perfect day if you could live it and make the income you require at the same time? If you can’t imagine it, you can’t move towards it.
9. Present – What are you doing in the present to move towards your perfect vocational day? Do you know the gap between your dreams and where you are? Do you know the real reason why reaching your perfect vocational day is so important to you?
10. Permission – Have you defined and written down exactly what you want? Have you talked about it with others? If you follow your heart, you will become a magnet for your dreams.

A new start

After any crisis, especially now, is a good start for positive change. This starts with new plans, new actions, new habits, and new thoughts.

Life has many possibilities, and they will appear once explored.

The post-pandemic blues are authentic, and they are challenging.

But they can be overcome with small steps in a new direction NOW.