Have you ever stopped to think how well you really know yourself? Many of us don’t pay it a second thought. It’s just assumed that we know ourselves, because…how can we not?
Well, the truth is that unless we stop and really reflect, most of us actually do not know ourselves as well as we think. It’s important to know yourself on a deep level when setting off to accomplish your career goals. It’s particularly important for those looking to become business owners or those on the entrepreneurial track.
If you don’t truly know yourself, you will have a heck of a time trying to keep your business afloat. Stop and ask yourself some questions time to time. You may find them more difficult to answer than you think.
- What are my core values? It’s so important to know what you stand for and what you believe in. Reaffirming your values allows you to stand firmly with what you believe and make sure that your actions align with your values.
- What are my strengths? Knowing your strengths allows you to play to your advantages. Reviewing your strong points is also a great way to build confidence.
- What are my weaknesses? It is equally important to know your weaknesses. You can’t improve upon what you don’t know needs improving. It takes a strong person to admit their shortcomings. Knowing where you lack and being able to admit where you fall short is a great quality to have. Not only does it make you self-aware, but it allows you to better yourself.
- What are my long-term goals? You can’t very well make methodical moves if you don’t know where you’re headed. You have to have an end goal.
- What are my short-term goals? It’s equally important to have smaller, measurable goals that lead up to your long-term goals.
- What am I most afraid of? Knowing your biggest fear can give you lots of insight. What is it about this thing that scares you? How does is relate to other experiences that you’ve had? Is it a reasonable fear?
- What is my biggest failure? Why would you want to harp on your biggest failure? The importance is not in the fact that you failed. It’s in the lessons of the experience. What went wrong for you? What could you have done differently? What did you learn from the experience? Are you better off from having tried?
- What is my proudest accomplishment? Again, rehash the experience. What actions did you take to accomplish this task? What did you learn from it? Feel the emotions that come along with the sense of accomplishment. How can you continue to implement those actions in your routine today?
- What am I most ashamed of? We’ve all done things that we’re not proud of. Some people are affected negatively by mistakes they’ve made in the past. It can be helpful to analyze the situations that have caused you shame and regret. Instead of allowing them to cause damage to your self-esteem, use the experience as a platform to grow. If you feel shame or regret, it means that you did something that compromised your morals or you experienced a moment of embarrassment and survived. If you don’t process the feelings attached to the experience, it will always have hold of a part of you.
- What am I worried about? It’s important to know what your worries are so you can figure out what significance they hold in your life. In addition, you should break them down so they aren’t consuming you. Process through each worry. Is it realistic? If so, what is the worst that can happen? Talk yourself through different scenarios in order to calm your anxieties.
- What does my inner-critic tell me? At times, your inner-critic can seem like your worst enemy, but it is still a part of you. What are the most common criticisms that you hear from that voice? What effect is this having on your overall self-worth? What effect is it having in your performance and your life? What can you do to change the narrative? Be very careful of the way that you talk to yourself, because you are the one who is listening and being affected by it.
- What/who brings me comfort? What brings you the most peace and comfort? How are these comforts helping you? How are they disadvantaging you? Are they healthy for you? Are you relying on them too much?
- What am I passionate about? Know your passions and what drives you. Know what makes you want to get up in the morning. Know what makes you want to go to work every day. It’s not enough to just do things. You need to know why. Without a why, we lose interest.
- What would I do if I weren’t afraid? What is something that you would love to do, but something is standing in your way? Now, think about how you can remove that obstacle. What else are you missing out on because of fear, money, time, etc?
- If I could change anything about myself it would be… We all have things about ourselves that we’re not crazy about. Whether its characteristics, weaknesses, or bad habits, there is always room for improvement. Think about one thing that you’d like to change and work toward improving upon it. Each time you stop to reflect, see how far you’ve come and hopefully you’ll be ready to make a new improvement!
Remember to check in with yourself periodically. As our lives change, of course we change and grow as well. Some answers will change, and some will stay the same. You’ll find that knowing and understanding your values and your strengths and weaknesses will make you a better person in your career and in your life.
At Prestige Business Solutions we encourage entrepreneurial growth with an energetic, fun and family oriented environment. It is with our competitive atmosphere that we strive for excellence in everything we do. We have the opportunity to travel, learn, and grow, not only professionally but personally. Learn more about the culture at Prestige Business Solutions by visiting our website.
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