Why should you bother to become more self-aware?

If you have followed me for a while, you know that I love my work. That was not always the case. Whereas I was driven and committed, I was also constantly looking for more purpose.

I recently attended a conference, and most of the inspiring speakers were (ex) athletes. The ones that wrote history with Olympia gold and such. To me, it is evident why they are where they are:

🪄 They have a dream.

🪄 They love what they do.

🪄 They are wholeheartedly dedicated.

🪄 They focus and take a leap.

🪄 They build their support system (people!).

🪄 They try, they fail, they try again.

🪄 They celebrate.

I am not suggesting that all of us should become superstars. But what I strongly recommend is that you find something you love to do.

I was quite sure I would not find this at work. Which did not bother me, it was just a fact. It meant that I valued and pursued my passions outside my job. Like traveling, living abroad, going to loads of concerts, spending time with family & friends, meeting new people, having fun, running, helping others.

Yes, I am talking about the small (but meaningful!) stuff in life. The return on investment is vast when you pursue things that make you happy: You will find more energy, balance, joy, motivation, inspiration, impact, meaning, success…

Let’s make the bridge to self-awareness now:

You need to know what makes you happy to be happy.

There are many ways to become more self-aware. It takes time but a few minutes each day will add up quickly and lead to lasting impact and change. Regularly dedicate some quality time to yourself.

Here are some questions and actions to get you going:

🪞 Who are you apart from your career? Who are you, should you lose your job tomorrow morning?

🪞 Do you know your personal values? Find out what you deeply care about and eliminate contradicting efforts.

🪞 Which parts of your job do you consider fun? Any chance to have more of it? If none, why not consider changing?

🪞 What triggers you and why? Listen to your emotions and feelings, try to understand where they come from, and embrace them.

🪞 What are your interests, strengths, and motivations? Build up on them. What do you want to start, continue, or stop?

🪞 Conduct some online self-assessments. Gain insights and challenge yourself when you disagree with the result. (Ask Chat GPT if you don’t know which tool makes sense for you ;))

🪞 Welcome feedback. Listen, clarify, and write it down. Positive or negative. Revisit and learn. You don’t have to agree with it, but it might help you to see another angle.

🪞 Talk with people you trust. It is crucial to get out of your head and to see yourself through other people’s eyes. Listen and grow.

🪞 Repeat.

How does self-awareness lead to success?

Let’s assume you know what makes you happy. Whether big or small, it does not mean you need to drastically change everything in your life. Just find room to create your happy place: Pick up a new hobby, get involved in a project, talk with your manager about your aspirations, gain leadership exposure in your association, learn something different, become a member of a community, mentor someone else...

Even if it is not the big stuff (yet), why not circle back to the athlete above and apply their recipe for success?

🪄 You have a dream.

🪄 You love what you do.

🪄 You are wholeheartedly dedicated.

🪄 You focus and take a leap.

🪄 You build your support system (people!).

🪄 You try, you fail, you try again.

🪄 You celebrate.

...and before you realize it, you are going to become what you were dreaming of: An inspired and inspiring person who is present and lives life on their terms. In short: Happy and successful.

Your time is precious, start your journey today.

Cheers, Yvonne