Coaching for Mission

Relationship | Identity | Purpose

The R-I-M-P Coaching for Mission workbook

RIMP = Relationship + Identity + Mission + Purpose

One of the main tools for discerning your mission will be the R-I-M-P self-analysis tool.  When combined with personal prayer, self-reflection, and various online personal inventories and questionnaires, you will see patterns develop that will help you discern your mission!

R-I-M-P OVERVIEW

Spiritual Reading Classics

Self-Discovery Inventory Web Links

This is a comprehensive list of web links for personal self-assessment inventories, categorized by the aspect of self-discovery they address.

For each category, I’ve provided the primary official or highly-regarded free link, along with details on whether a paid/premium version is available.

1. Strengths, Talents, and Inner World

Clifton Strengths

Primary FocusYour 34 talent themes (Top 5 or Full 34).
Inventory LinkGallup CliftonStrengths Assessments
NotesPaid Assessment. You need to purchase an access code to take the official assessment.

Catholic Charism

Primary FocusSpiritual gifts (Charisms) for building up the church.
Inventory LinkSt. John's Catholic Spiritual Gifts Inventory
NotesFree Assessment. A common, free online inventory offered by Catholic parishes.

4 Temperaments

Primary FocusCore inborn personality traits and emotional tendencies.
Inventory LinkTemperament Quiz
NotesFree Quiz. Provides instant results based on Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholic, and Phlegmatic.

Triggers /Weaknesses

Primary FocusMotivations, strengths, and how strengths are overdone (become weaknesses).
Inventory LinkStrength Deployment Inventory (SDI) - No free public link.
NotesPaid Assessment. Contact an SDI practitioner. You can read more about what it measures here: SDI 2.0 Overview

2. Learning, Spirituality, and Relationships

Learning Style Inventory

Primary FocusYour preferences for taking in and processing information.
Inventory LinkIndex of Learning Styles Questionnaire
NotesFree Assessment. Based on the Felder-Soloman model.

Prayer Style Inventory

Primary FocusYour preferred "prayer personality" (e.g., Intellectual, Devotional, Service-Minded).
Inventory LinkPrayer Personality Inventory (PDF)
NotesFree PDF Download and self-scoring tool.

My Love Language

Primary FocusHow you best give and receive emotional love.
Inventory LinkOfficial 5 Love Languages Quiz
NotesFree Quiz. The official assessment for the 5 Love Languages.

3. Work Style, Interests, and Behavior

Primary Way of Working with Other People (MBTI/16P)

Primary FocusYour cognitive preferences and interpersonal style.
Inventory Link16Personalities Free Test
NotesFree Assessment. The most popular free adaptation of the MBTI 16-type model.

Main Passion and Interests in Life

Primary FocusMatching your interests to compatible careers.
Inventory LinkO*NET Interest Profiler
NotesFree Assessment. Provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.

123test DISC Personality Test

Primary FocusQuick assessment of your Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness.
Inventory Linkhttps://www.123test.com/disc-personality-test/
NotesFree Quiz. Takes 5-10 minutes.

Tony Robbins' Free DISC Assessment

Primary FocusA free assessment to uncover your behavioral profile and communication style.
Inventory LinkTony Robbins DISC Assessment
NotesFree Assessment. Requires submitting information to get the results.

4. Free Inventories for Challenges, Triggers, and Weaknesses

Mindset Triggers Assessment

Primary Focus on Weaknesses/ChallengesSpecific Triggers. Focuses on identifying your personal mindset trigger profile (e.g., specific scenarios or thoughts that derail you).
Inventory LinkMindset Triggers Assessment

Emotional Stability Test

Primary Focus on Weaknesses/ChallengesEmotional Weakness/Neuroticism. Measures your ability to cope with stress, remain calm under pressure, and bounce back from setbacks.
Inventory LinkEmotional Stability Test / Quiz - Psychology Today

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Quiz

Primary Focus on Weaknesses/ChallengesEmotional Management Weaknesses. Assesses your skill in managing your own emotions (anger, stress, anxiety) and how you handle criticism.
Inventory LinkFree EQ Quiz From IHHP

The Dark Triad Test

Primary Focus on Weaknesses/ChallengesDarker Personality Weaknesses. Measures tendencies toward Narcissism, Machiavellians, and Psychopathy, which are interpersonal weaknesses and relational challenges.
Inventory LinkFree Online Dark Triad Personality Test

HIGH5 Strengths Test

Primary Focus on Weaknesses/ChallengesStrengths/Weaknesses Overview. The free test gives you your top 5 strengths, and the results often hint at corresponding "watch-out areas" or weaknesses (the premium reports explicitly detail these).
Inventory LinkHIGH5 Strengths Test

How These Inventories Address "Weaknesses"

      1. Direct Measurement (Emotional Stability/EQ): These tools directly ask about your negative coping mechanisms, stress reactions, and defensive behaviors, providing a score on a spectrum that places you on the more “vulnerable” side (low stability, low EQ) or the more “resilient” side.

      2. Shadow Traits (Dark Triad): These assessments reveal the potentially manipulative, self-centered, or impulsive traits that can severely impact your relationships and professional life. Understanding these “dark” traits is key to mitigating them.

      3. Contextual Triggers (Mindset): This type of assessment helps pinpoint the specific situations or internal dialogue that lead to a negative mindset or emotional reaction, which is the definition of an environmental trigger.

Other optional inventories

APEST Fivefold Ministry Assessment

Based on Ephesians 4:11-13, this tool helps you discern your dominant ministry gifting: Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd, or Teacher. Use it to: Understand your leadership style and how you build up the Body of Christ.   APEST Fivefold Ministry Assessment

Oklahoma Diocese Spiritual Gifts Inventory

A Catholic-friendly inventory that helps individuals identify their charisms—spiritual gifts given for the good of others. Use it to: Discover how the Holy Spirit may be empowering you for mission in the Church and the world.  Spiritual Gifts Inventory

Metanoia Catholic Temperament Inventory

A Catholic approach to understanding your temperament (choleric, sanguine, melancholic, phlegmatic) and how it affects your mindset, relationships, and spiritual growth. Use it to: Grow in virtue and self-mastery by understanding your emotional and motivational patterns.  Metanoia Catholic | Temperaments Assessment    

Other Inventory tools

Sensory Preference Quiz   How do you primarily take in information and communicate

Create the Relationship You Secretly Want   How to develop healthy relationships

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The R-I-M-P Coaching for Mission Workbook:

A Coaching Guide to Discovering, Forming, and Living Your God-Given Relationship, Identity, Mission, and Purpose

“I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full.”  (John 10:10)

Table of Contents

  • Introduction: The R-I-M-P Framework
  • Part I: The Foundational Relationship and Ultimate Purpose (R & P)
    • Chapter 1: The Ultimate Purpose (Praise, Reverence & Service)
    • Chapter 2: The Foundation of Relationship and Prayer Style (R)
    • Self-Evaluation I
  • Part II: Identity in Christ: The Flourishing Person (I)
    • Chapter 3: Identity Defined by Relationship with God through the Father, Christ & Holy Spirit
    • Chapter 4: Self-Discovery Tools, Temperaments, and Learning Styles
    • Self-Evaluation II
  • Part III: Defining and Discerning Your Mission (M)
    • Chapter 5: The Intersection of Talents, Gifts, Passions, and Needs (Service)
    • Chapter 6: The Rules of Discernment for Mission
    • Chapter 7: The Mission in Little & Big Things
    • Chapter 7.5: Mission in Your State of Life (Married, Single, Consecrated, Priest)
    • Self-Evaluation III
  • Part IV: Resilience, Growth, and Implementation
    • Chapter 8: Weakness, Failure, and Mapping Your Triggers
    • Chapter 9: The Perpetual Cycle of R-I-M-P (Implementation)
    • Self-Evaluation IV
  • Conclusion
  • Sample Mission Blueprint: A Case Study
  • My Mission Blueprint: A Step-by-Step Synthesis
  • Bibliography

Introduction: The R-I-M-P Framework

This workbook is a coaching guide designed to help you discover, form, and live well your unique God-given Relationship, Identity, Mission, and ultimate Purpose in the world. It integrates the foundational spiritual wisdom of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola with modern psychological insights particularly in the areas of human flourishing and positive psychology.

In order to help you to discern well your mission in life we will need you to assess and reflect upon your identity. We will use a variety of questionnaires and inventories to help you accomplish this, including the important topics of: natural talents, spiritual gifts, learning & praying style, triggers and weaknesses and temperament

All of this will need to be grounded with the absolute foundation: your relationship with God, for it’s from this relationship that your true identity flows, and from your identity that your specific mission is revealed.

To put it simply: your Relationship (R) is the “Alpha”—the starting point and source of grace. Your ultimate Purpose (P) is the “Omega”—the final destination and goal of every action.

How to Use This Workbook

This workbook is a marathon journey, not just a short sprint. The real work happens not in the reading, but in the prayerful reflection, the journaling exercises, and the honest self-evaluations.

  • Pace Yourself: We recommend taking at least one week per Part to allow the concepts to sink in.
  • Prayer is Essential: This is a work of discernment, not just self-help. Begin each session with a short prayer, asking the Holy Spirit for light and truth. The prayer and meditation practices in Part I are not just a first step, but a central practice for the entire journey.
  • Seek Guidance: This workbook is designed for coaching. We strongly encourage you to walk through this process with a trusted guide. This could be a mission coach, a spiritual director, a mentor, or a wise elder in your community. Their outside perspective is invaluable in helping you see your own patterns clearly.

Part I: The Foundational Relationship and Ultimate Purpose (R & P)

Chapter 1: The Ultimate Purpose (Praise and Reverence)

The first step in any mission is to define its ultimate destination. St. Ignatius begins his Spiritual Exercises with the Principle and Foundation, which clearly states our Purpose (P):

“Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by means of doing this, to save his soul.”

Your ultimate purpose is union with God; therefore, we want as many parts of your daily Mission to become inspired by this purpose!

Praise: Acknowledging God’s Majesty

Praise is the primary, vertical movement of the soul toward God. It is the recognition of God’s goodness and power above all else.

  • Coaching Tip: Start your day by offering a short prayer of praise, focusing on one quality of God (e.g., His mercy, His wisdom). This shifts the focus from your burdens to His greatness.

Reverence: The Posture of the Soul

Reverence is the internal disposition of awe, respect, and humility toward God, recognizing Him as the creator and sustainer of all things. It is the quiet willingness to submit your will to His.

“Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O Lord.” — St. Augustine

The Church’s Teaching

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the desire for God is “written in the human heart” (CCC 27). Our ultimate purpose is nothing less than “to know, love, and serve God in this life and be happy with him forever in the next” (Catholic NAB Version).

 

Chapter 2: The Foundation of Relationship and Prayer Style (R)

The Mission is impossible without the Relationship (R) that fuels it. This relationship is built upon grace and maintained through prayer.

Grace: God’s Initiative

The journey begins not with your effort, but with God’s gift. Grace is the life of God dwelling within you, making your ultimate purpose achievable. The more you recognize your dependence on grace, the stronger your foundation becomes.

The Practice of Prayer

Your mission will dry up without consistent communication with its source.

  • Vocal Prayer: Using traditional prayers (Our Father, Rosary) or speaking from the heart.
  • Meditation: Reflecting on Scripture, a good spiritual book or great church teaching about the life of Christ and/or his Church in order to hear God’s voice.
  • Contemplation: Resting in God’s presence, focusing on His love.

The Ignatian Examen

This five-step prayer is critical for daily relationship health:

  1. Gratitude: Thank God for the blessings of the day.
  2. Petition: Ask for light to review the day accurately.
  3. Review: Examine the day hour by hour. Where was God’s presence? Where did I fail?
  4. Forgiveness: Ask God for pardon for sins and failures.
  5. Resolve: Plan a concrete action to live better tomorrow.

“The shortest and most efficacious way to holiness is prayer.” — St. Alphonsus Liguori

  1. Understanding Your Prayer Language (Prayer Inventory)

Just as people communicate differently, they connect with God differently. Understanding your preferred Prayer Style can revolutionize your relationship by making prayer feel more authentic and fruitful.

Resource Box: Prayer Style Inventories

  • Catholic Prayer Styles (Free): Search for “Catholic Prayer Styles Inventory” or “Ignatian Prayer Language Quiz.” These often categorize prayer as intellectual (studious), affective (heart-centered), imaginative (visual), or active (service-based).
  • Sacred Pathways (Paid – Book/Assessment): Search for “Gary Thomas Sacred Pathways”. This popular book outlines nine distinct “pathways” to connect with God (e.g., Naturalist, Sensate, Traditionalist, Ascetic, Activist).

Part I: Key Insights

Before you evaluate, reflect on the core concepts from this Part:

  • Purpose (P) is the Omega: My ultimate, “Omega” goal is union with God, which I live out through praise, reverence, and service.
  • Relationship (R) is the Alpha: My mission is impossible without the “Alpha” of God’s grace and a living relationship with Him, fueled by prayer.
  • Authentic Prayer is Key: I can strengthen my Relationship by practicing the Examen and discovering/using my authentic Prayer Style (how I naturally connect with God).

Self-Evaluation I: Assessing your Foundation

This check-in helps you reflect on your primary focus—God’s ultimate purpose and your current relationship with Him. Rate yourself on a scale of 1 (Low) to 5 (High).

StatementRating (1-5)Notes/Action Needed
Ultimate Purpose: I clearly understand that my life's ultimate goal is union with God.
Praise: I regularly offer God praise and adoration, even when life is difficult.
Reverence: I maintain an internal posture of awe and respect toward God in daily life.
Relationship: My prayer life is consistent and brings me energy, not just obligation.
Prayer Style: I understand my natural prayer style and am using it to deepen my relationship.
Examen: I practice the Examen (or a similar daily review) to track my day with God.