How To Reflect on Who You Are: Tools for Knowing Yourself

I hear it often, people questioning what they're really interested in, what their passion is, what they want to do with their life.

I did, too.  And I used these tools (plus an awesome life coach, 10,000 books, and the wisdom at Chip Conley's MEA) to sort it out.

Aside from the obvious importance to you and your wellbeing, it is important for any leader to know yourself. Know what you value, what motivates and inspires you. Because your job requires you to carefully hold people's feelings, insecurities, interests, careers in your hands. And you won't do a good job at that if you're not self-aware, compassionate, and leading intentionally.

So, here you go, Tips and Tools to help you know yourself:

• Spend time with yourself, alone. Let the quiet speak to you. Meditate.
• Find some good journal prompts and write your way to it.
  • And if you don't like writing, try a speech to text tool.
• Try out the Ikigai. It's harder than it looks. 
  • And, while the interpretation is helpful, it's also pertinent for you to hear this perspective on decolonizing Ikigai from @sakulacostar

• Take time to identify your values. Try these two resources for jumping off points

  • https://www.saturdaygift.com/core-values-list/

  • https://markmanson.net/personal-values

• Chart out where you Thrive. Some of you won't be able to do this at first. You'll have to actively remind yourself to pay attention day-to-day and see when and where you light up and when you shrink. But you can do it. Then, craft up a simple table and drop in words and situations for each category.
  Something like this:  Thrive   |   Neutral   |  Survive
• Try your hand out filling out a life wheel.  If you don't like the categories on this example from positive psychology, cross them out and put in ones that matter more to you. Then pick your number or color it in so you see where you're fulfilled and satisfied and where you aren't.
  

  

  Gentle reminder: You may think you know these things about yourself. I hope you do. And still if you're feeling lost, unsure, confused, tired, burnt out, then it's probably time to refresh and see if you're spending time in ways that you no longer value and that no longer serve you.

When you're ready, use this as insight to how you want to lead. Use it as fodder for your personal brand, your professional bio,  and how you'll introduce yourself.