Have you ever stopped to think about your definition of a life of greatness? If not, you are not alone. Many people haven’t thought deeply about this topic. Looking outside oneself for life’s most important answers is more common. Instead of asking ourselves the right questions, we look to the media and other people to create our value systems. We let the world dictate what we should eat, wear, and care about. This outside approach is not entirely flawed in and of itself. It becomes flawed when we spend little or no time in self-reflection. As a result, we fail to ask the right questions. Some of the questions that those we admire have invested the time and energy to ask themselves.
Self-Reflection: a Powerful Underutilized Tool
Self-reflection is a robust process by which one spends considerable time thinking about one’s character, actions, and motives. However, self-reflection is only as powerful as you allow it to be. You can use it to improve yourself and to spark strategic personal growth.
The strategy involves examining your thoughts and actions, considering your motivations, and self-reflecting to gain new insights into your life.
Furthermore, it involves asking the right questions. You can unlock that potential and start fulfilling it with the right questions.
If this concept is new to you, no worries; I have listed a few questions to help you begin your journey of self-reflection. Your answers will unlock your definition of greatness while helping you fulfill it.
Let’s get started.
5 Questions to Unlock Your Greatness
- What are my core beliefs and values?
Core values are deeply ingrained principles and undergird your decisions and actions. Forget about making intelligent decisions that work for you if you don’t have a firm grip on your core values and beliefs.
So, reflecting on your principles and understanding what matters to you and what you stand for is a big part of the process. What is it that drives your decisions? Do your choices align with the values you have identified?
2. What are my weaknesses and strengths?
One of the core components of personal growth is self-awareness; you need to do the work to understand yourself better. Understanding your weaknesses and strengths is a big part of that.
So, consider your areas for improvement and where you could improve. What special skills or qualities do you possess, and what are you exceptionally good at?
To leverage your strengths for success, you need to understand what they are. Uncovering your weaknesses is also helpful because you can improve them where necessary and accept help from others where you fall short.
There is no place for ego in this exercise because every human being on the face of the earth has weaknesses. Don’t allow your ego to blind you by allowing you to deceive yourself. You may temporarily feel better about yourself, but this behavior does not inspire greatness. It holds you back by keeping you stuck.
3. What are my aspirations and goals?
If you want to assess your aspirations and goals, you need self-reflection. What are your short-term plans? What about your long-term ideas? Are you moving in the right direction? Have you drifted off the course you set? Do your commitments and activities align with your short and long-term goals?
Clarifying your aspirations and goals will help you set a clear direction. It empowers you to prioritize your actions and focus your energy on making your desired outcomes become a reality.
You can regularly revisit your goals as a part of a self-reflection period because everyone changes over time, and sometimes your values change. Sometimes, your priorities change, but you need to know what they are if you want it all to work together.
4. What have I learned from my failures and my mistakes?
A lot of people make a mistake and think they’ve failed. Or they experience failure and think it’s the end of the world. Neither of these is true – it’s just a temporary setback.
You can convince yourself of that by answering how much and what you learned from those failures and mistakes in your past. Those mistakes and failures can shape your decisions and build your character.
Learning to embrace your failure and learn lessons is crucial to personal growth.
5. Am I fulfilling my purpose and living authentically?
Living authentically is essential, but are you? Are you doing what it takes to fulfill your purpose? Use self-reflection to see whether your life aligns with your goal.
Are you living based on the path you have been crafting or according to external pressure or societal expectations?
Purpose and authenticity can drive your fulfillment and success, but you must tap into that motivation and passion.
Final Thoughts
People who live a life of greatness are persistent and resilient. They invest the time and energy required to ask the right questions and to evaluate whether or not they are headed in the direction of their hopes and dreams. They use self-reflection questions as part of a regular reflection routine to motivate themselves to succeed and foster personal growth. Self-reflection isn’t a one-time task; you must return to it regularly.
It is a crucial part of your journey to greatness.
Be well + prosper,
Elaine xx
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