“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”
Feather 1 by Jim Champion
This week we have been talking about being a bucket-filler and focusing on our strengths. Today, we take a step toward identifying more of our strengths.
I have recently read Jon Acuff’s inspiring book, Quitter
. In his book, he says that finding our dreams in life is oftentimes an act of recovery – we have to go back to our younger version to re-discover our true passions and dreams.
I believe this is also the case to fully discover our strengths. As we grow older, it is like this wall gets built up around our “true” self – the self that once dreamed big dreams and had incredible hopes. By thinking back to our childhood we can rekindle those strengths and remember who we truly are.
As we work through this process of defining our strengths, we will take a 2-fold approach: 1) Rediscovering our younger selves; and 2) Defining who we are today. I am adapting these questions from Dr. Phil McGraw’s book, Self-Matters: Creating Your Life from the Inside Out
.
Before we begin, I must make a confession. Most often, when I read books and the author asks me to write answers to questions or write out my reflections on a particular idea, I usually just think through the answers. However, the times that I have truly made progress and breakthroughs in my thinking have been those times when I’ve written out responses. There is just something magical about writing.
In reality, I know that most of you will probably not record the answers to these questions. So, please at least think through each of the questions in relation to your strengths. Even if you think you know your strengths, this activity might bring to mind some long-hidden virtues that could serve you as you move forward.
Here we go.
The Good Ole Days
1. I remember a particular time when I was especially happy, and it was…
2. One time that I felt really excited was when…
3. I remember times when a person said something to me or treated me in such a way that it made a positive difference in my life, and one of those times was when…
4. A time when I felt really special to someone was when I…
5. When I was younger, I always wanted to be…
6. I used to dream about myself as a …
Who I Am Today
1. I am very good when …
2. I think of myself as being …
3. I think my body is …
4. I am happiest when …
5. My greatest strengths are …
6. I am best in situations that …
7. I think I could be …
8. I fear …
9. What keeps me from being what I really want is …
10. In the future, I …
11. What keeps me going is …
12. If I described myself as a car, I would be …
13. If I described myself as an animal, I would be …
So, did you find any meaning in this exercise? Sometimes I think we grow through reflection and that is mainly what this piece is about.
I hope that you have gained some insight into your life through these questions. As I’ve related before, the right questions can give the right answers.
Tomorrow, we will turn the tables on this exercise and find out how others assess your strengths.
In the meantime, live today as a bucket-filler. Remember that each individual that we interact with today provides the opportunity for us to serve and uplift and make a difference! What greater opportunity could we ask for?
QUESTION: Why is self-reflection such difficult work? Please post comments below.
I have recently read Jon Acuff’s inspiring book, Quitter
. In his book, he says that finding our dreams in life is oftentimes an act of recovery – we have to go back to our younger version to re-discover our true passions and dreams.I believe this is also the case to fully discover our strengths. As we grow older, it is like this wall gets built up around our “true” self – the self that once dreamed big dreams and had incredible hopes. By thinking back to our childhood we can rekindle those strengths and remember who we truly are.
As we work through this process of defining our strengths, we will take a 2-fold approach: 1) Rediscovering our younger selves; and 2) Defining who we are today. I am adapting these questions from Dr. Phil McGraw’s book, Self-Matters: Creating Your Life from the Inside Out
.Before we begin, I must make a confession. Most often, when I read books and the author asks me to write answers to questions or write out my reflections on a particular idea, I usually just think through the answers. However, the times that I have truly made progress and breakthroughs in my thinking have been those times when I’ve written out responses. There is just something magical about writing.
In reality, I know that most of you will probably not record the answers to these questions. So, please at least think through each of the questions in relation to your strengths. Even if you think you know your strengths, this activity might bring to mind some long-hidden virtues that could serve you as you move forward.
Here we go.
The Good Ole Days
1. I remember a particular time when I was especially happy, and it was…
2. One time that I felt really excited was when…
3. I remember times when a person said something to me or treated me in such a way that it made a positive difference in my life, and one of those times was when…
4. A time when I felt really special to someone was when I…
5. When I was younger, I always wanted to be…
6. I used to dream about myself as a …
Who I Am Today
1. I am very good when …
2. I think of myself as being …
3. I think my body is …
4. I am happiest when …
5. My greatest strengths are …
6. I am best in situations that …
7. I think I could be …
8. I fear …
9. What keeps me from being what I really want is …
10. In the future, I …
11. What keeps me going is …
12. If I described myself as a car, I would be …
13. If I described myself as an animal, I would be …
So, did you find any meaning in this exercise? Sometimes I think we grow through reflection and that is mainly what this piece is about.
I hope that you have gained some insight into your life through these questions. As I’ve related before, the right questions can give the right answers.
Tomorrow, we will turn the tables on this exercise and find out how others assess your strengths.
In the meantime, live today as a bucket-filler. Remember that each individual that we interact with today provides the opportunity for us to serve and uplift and make a difference! What greater opportunity could we ask for?
QUESTION: Why is self-reflection such difficult work? Please post comments below.
2 comments:
Self-reflection is hard for me because it means I have to slow down my life. I have to take time to sit back and reflect. I have to quiet myself, and that's normally not an easy task. I'm always on the run, and always have something going on. Self-reflection has to be a priority if we want it to change us.
Seth,
Thanks for stopping by the blog. Self-reflection is a great struggle for me, too. I think it's the fact that it takes great effort.
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