The greatest blind spot we all have is ourselves. We don’t know ourselves that well. We certainly don’t see ourselves the way others do. Truly knowing yourself might be one of the greatest challenges you’ll ever face. But it’s a challenge worth pursuing.
Knowing yourself better has so many benefits. You become better at managing yourself and your life.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What activities do I engage in to distract myself from my challenges? We all have our ways of avoiding the things that we don’t want to do. You might eat, shop, watch TV, surf the internet, call a friend, clean the house, read a book, or go for a walk.
- Understanding how you distract yourself allows you to notice when you’re avoiding what needs to be done.
- What would I tell my younger self? Everyone wishes they had a time machine so they could give themselves a do-over. What would you tell your younger self?
- At what time of day can I focus the most easily? Most people experience the greatest ability to focus either early in the day or late in the day. When do you find it easiest to focus? How can you use that information in your daily life?
- At what time of the day am I the most creative? When are you best at creating? How can you use that information?
- What are 10 words that accurately describe me? Be honest with yourself. These aren’t the words you’d like to describe you. What are the words that actually describe you?
- What are the 10 words that I wish described me? Now, you can list the 10 words you wish were accurate about you.
- What am I currently tolerating in my life? Make a list of the things that you’re currently tolerating. Is it your boss? Partner? An unreliable car? Twenty extra pounds? Debt? What are you tolerating that you wish was out of your life?
- What do I believe is the meaning of life? Are you living your life accordingly?
- If I had to drop one person from my life, who would it be? Name the one person you would eliminate from your life if you had to choose just one. Why that person? Why are they still part of your life?
- What would be the perfect day for me? It’s easier to have a good day if you know what a great day looks like. Describe your perfect day. Now, try to describe an even better day.
- Whom do I most respect? Why do you respect this person? Do you have the same traits that this person possesses? How would your life change if you had these traits?
- What would I do if I were less afraid? Fear limits us all. In what ways is fear limiting you? Most people believe they have conquered their fears, when in reality they’ve found ways to avoid them. A life built around the need to avoid your fears is a life that’s limited.
- What is my greatest weakness? No one is perfect. Weaknesses are part of life. What is your weakness and how is it impacting your life? How can you work around it?
- What is my greatest strength? How can I use my greatest strength to my best advantage? Have I been taking full advantage of my strength?
Knowing yourself makes you powerful. If you know your strengths, weaknesses, and how to manage yourself effectively, you become a powerful person. If you know the type of person you want to be and how you want to live, you have a direction. Knowing yourself is the path to freedom.
If you would like a worksheet to help you through this exercise, click on the button to download one.
