How to Grow Self-Awareness at Work

ONE IDEA FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT

Today I want to talk about the NUMBER ONE skill to grow if you want to experience any meaningful growth in your life. Without this skill, it is hard to experience positive change.

That skill is... SELF-AWARENESS.

Self-awareness is the ability to tune in to your own feelings, thoughts, and actions. When people are self-aware, they understand their strengths, weaknesses, and what motivates them to move forward.

Building self-awareness can come easier to some, but it can absolutely be developed and improved with intentional effort and practice.

Here are 4 ways to become more self-aware:

1. Self-reflection: Reflect on your actions, decisions, and experiences to understand your motivations and areas of improvement. Most of us reflect 1-2 times a year, but I challenge you to reflect 1 time/month.

TRY THIS:

Pick the 2-3 most important skills that you want to grow this year and reflect on these same questions every month: 

Reflective question 1: How did I grow my skills this month? 

Reflection question 2: How could I develop them further next month?

1. Understand your competencies: Are there certain areas in your work where you need to improve? Areas that are critical to your role? For example, do you need to work on time management or prioritization? This can be tough, but understanding where you stand now can immensely help you grow in the future.
2. Monitor how you talk to yourself: Pay attention to your inner dialogue, especially when you are in challenging situations (like before a big meeting or under stress). Can you find any limiting beliefs that might be holding you back? Is the reason why you don't speak up in meetings because your inner voice is telling you that you are not smart enough? Once you recognize negative thought patterns, you can take intentional action to rewire them.
3. Actively listen to the people around you: Make an effort to truly listen to your coworkers’ or friends' perspectives and feedback. It can help you get a sense of how they perceive you, and you can adjust your approach if needed. 

ONE QUESTION TO ASK YOURSELF

What feedback have I received from others about my strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement, and how do I incorporate this feedback into my growth journey (if, at all)?

ONE EXERCISE FOR YOU TO TRY THIS WEEK

Building self-awareness is extremely uncomfortable. It was one of the hardest skills that I worked on. But now I feel a sense of relief knowing I have effective tools that I can always come back to.

This week, pick at least 1 of the 4 tactics above, and dive into it. Challenge yourself to stick to the practice for at least a week.

Yes, just a week to start.

If I had to choose one for you, I would start with monitoring your thoughts. It is super actionable and easy to execute.

And after a week of committed work, reflect on how much more self-aware you've become.

Give yourself this gift - self-awareness is the greatest superpower.