What Will You Do with Your One Wild and Precious Life?
Mary Oliver’s timeless question—“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”—isn’t how I typically begin a coaching session (or a discussion with one of my sons), but occasionally, I’m tempted. It’s a great question.
I’m sharing it with you today as a conversation starter—a question to start a conversation with yourself. #crucialconversations
Take some time today to ask yourself: “What is it I plan to do with my one wild and precious life?”
Don’t overthink it.
Listen for the answer.
Write it down. (unless you’re running, walking, cycling, or driving while having this inner dialogue.)
Then ask yourself: “Do the choices I’m making align with that plan?”
This question can be challenging. Your choices include how you spend your time, who you spend it with, and what habits you have.
Congratulations if you’re smiling now, thinking about your day, weekend, or week—where you are in your life! It likely means you’ve made conscious choices, not all of them easy, to get where you are right now.
If the conversation with yourself isn’t evoking smiles, you have options, AKA choices.
• Do Nothing: If you feel planning is overrated or you’re expecting one will magically emerge, you might choose to go with the flow, trust that the universe and hope it will take you where you need to go. While I personally wouldn’t recommend “hope” as a strategy, I wish you luck! (No sarcasm—in my tone.)
• Reset and Move On: If external forces or life’s curveballs have thrown your original plan off track, it’s time for a reset. You may be working on “Plan 2.0,” adjusting as you go. Keep moving forward with resilience, and schedule a check-in with yourself in a month. Ask the question again.
• Make a Change: Whether it’s a small tweak or a bold leap, start right now. Identify one or two actions that will bring you closer to what you truly want. Your changes may involve choices about how you spend your time, who you spend it with, or how you invest in your health. Pick one change—or three if you’re feeling ambitious—but take action. Move forward with curiosity and commitment.
The clichés are true: this isn’t a dress rehearsal. Life is happening while we’re making plans or not making plans. So, when you ask yourself this question, consider it the start of a critical conversation and follow with action.
We each have one wild and precious life if there’s a bonus round, fantastic! But I’m going with the assumption that this is it. So be conscious about what you want, and make choices that will help get you there. Over time, even a series of small changes can lead to a transformation.
Bonus advice…hold on tight, live large, minimize regrets, and go all in. Make an impact.
If you get stuck and need help getting started, call a friend and have the conversation on a long walk or over a glass of wine. Or contact a coach - they’ll skip the wine but listen and talk you through the exercise.
ICF-certified coaches have the training to guide you through challenges like this and are committed to a code and an ethical framework to redirect you if they are not the right coach for you.
So, let me ask you: What will you do with your one wild and precious life?
