“Never limit yourself because of others limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination.” – Mae Jemison
Isn’t it a very strange question to ask whether he or she knows about themselves? C’mon! who else would know about us other than ourselves? But as like everything else in this world, knowing oneself is also an art that has to be learned to be a success in life.
Knowing oneself is not knowing about your favourite food or colour but to move a bit deeper from the surface. It is about your insecurities and your idiosyncrasies, your priorities, your beliefs, your values in life and your passions.
The first thing that I have always been told and have read in innumerable books and articles on self-motivation is, to know my strengths and weakness. How many of us really know our strengths? If you know your strengths and weakness really well, I am sure you would have found a way to make your life more satisfactory. But we usually fail to recognize them due to various factors.
Ask yourself the following questions and see if you really know yourself:
1. What are your core values? These are values on which you would never compromise irrespective of the surroundings in which you are in. Make a list of top 10 adjectives of the characteristic traits that describe you.
2. What is missing from your life right now? Too many disappointments could have left you in a state of numbness and not wanting to desire more. If you want to know yourself better, you need to know what you want and what you are missing in your life right now. Try answering the question, what do I want to be really good at.
3. What has to happen for you to understand that a change is needed? Changes has to happen, and we need to learn to embrace it. Do not wait till you hit rock bottom to acknowledge that a change is needed.
4. What is it that you love doing, even if you are tired or even on a bad day? What are the opportunities that excite me? What is it that I am willing to give up for getting that opportunity?
5. How do others describe you? For instance, would they describe you, as, reliable and as decisive as you consider yourself? Get a reality check for yourself.
When you understand yourself better, you get a chance to improve and be better. Getting to know yourself is definitely worthwhile. It makes you happier, and you will be able to make better decisions. You experience less inner conflict and will be able to identify values that motivate you.
As Tao Te Ching and Lao Tzu has said, “Knowing others is intelligence; Knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; Mastering yourself is true power.”
You may like to read other articles written by this author ‘The power of assertive communication‘,‘9 effective tips for writing a resume’, ‘Important interview skills to land your dream job‘, ‘10 Easy Tips to Staying Motivated‘.
About the author:
Sudha Divakar – A Proud stay at home mom. She has worked in the IT industry for 15 years and has taken a break to take care of her priorities. She is an avid reader and enjoys watching movies with her tiny tots at home. She believes that life is full of beauty and must be lived one day at a time.
(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)
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