4 Questions to Increase Self-Awareness
Have you ever had a check engine light go on in a vehicle you were driving?
You instantly become keenly aware of every rattle, shift, and nuance of your ride.
The check engine light on your dashboard serves the important purpose of indicating the health of your vehicle.
Therefore, you would never ignore these lights, knowing it might lead to a more costly issue down the road.
Yet, have you ever been guilty of ignoring your own personal dashboard and flashing warning lights?
Even worse, have you ever done it in the name of “sacrifice” for those who mean the most to you?
When you do this, it isn’t sustainable, and you aren’t able to truly give your family the best version of you, but rather one that is:
- Drained
- Short on patience
- Disconnected emotionally
It hurts you and others more than it actually helps.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
This is where self-awareness comes in.
When 75 members of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Advisory Council were asked to identify the most important capability for leaders to develop, their answer was overwhelmingly:
“Self-awareness” (George et al., 2007).
True self-awareness is about:
- Knowing a healthy you vs. an unhealthy you
- Understanding what is needed to recalibrate
- Bringing your best self back into the game
After all, if you can’t lead yourself well, how are you ever going to lead anyone else?
This week, ask yourself these questions:
- What unimportant things are taking away from the important ones?
- What do I need to say “no” to this week?
- What emotions am I avoiding processing?
- What are the compromised areas of my life that actually deserve my best? What adjustments will I make?
Leadership starts from within.
Even with the best strategy in the world, you ultimately are the difference maker by the way you show up as your full, best self each day.
Remember:
- It is not a destination you are after.
- It is a daily process of renewing your mind, looking inward, being honest with yourself, and having grace for yourself.
When you do these things consistently, you are better equipped to:
- Infuse life into those around you
- Love people with patience and empathy
- Show up big for those who matter most
For family is worth it.
Your team is worth it.
You are worth it.
Sign up for my newsletter!
📩As a gift, I will send you my FREE GUIDE:
“6 Keys to Realign Your Life and Recharge Your Leadership”
So you can show up with your best for who and what matters most!
Reference
George, W., Sims, P., McLean, A.N., Mayer, D. (2007). Discovering your authentic leadership. Harvard Business Review, 1-8.
