Lack of self-awareness is a problem.
It can lead to anxiety, broken relationships, lower happiness, and reduced performance.
On the flip-side, high self-awareness happens to be the secret ingredient for leadership greatness.
Organizational psychologist and author Tasha Eurich has researched and written extensively on the subject:
“People who are high in internal self-awareness tend to make choices that are consistent with who they really are, allowing them to lead happier and more satisfying lives. When we see ourselves clearly, we are more confident and more creative. We make sounder decisions, build stronger relationships, and communicate more effectively…we are better workers who get more promotions. And we’re more-effective leaders with more-satisfied employees and more-profitable companies.”
Okay, self-awareness is good. But how do you cultivate it?
ClearerThinking.org is a site dedicated to helping people put psychological research to work in their lives. Founder Spencer Greenberg recently collaborated with Amanda Metskas to create a list of 32 questions that, when thoughtfully answered, can build self-awareness and spark new self-insight.
Here are a few examples:
- During what period of your life were you the happiest, and why were you so happy then?
- Imagine that you received a message from a version of yourself five years in the future. What warnings would the message give you, and what advice would it offer about how best to achieve your goals?
- What meaningful or important thing should you tell a particular person that you haven’t told them yet?
- How is the very best version of yourself different from the way you sometimes behave?
- What are you taking for granted that you want to remember to be grateful for?
You can be better at just about everything you care about if you know yourself well.
Check out all 32 life-changing questions here.
Have a great week.
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