Self awareness is not
about looking deeply within your internal chamber of secrets and hidden
motivations trying to discover "your true self." It's quite the
opposite, when done properly.
It should be an open,
honest, candid, and on-going self observation of what drives you to take the
actions you take, to think the thoughts you think and to feel the emotions that
bubble up inside you.
Confucius described the
process as: "By three methods we
learn wisdom: first by reflection, which is noblest; second by imitation, which
is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest."
People with high levels
of self awareness have a clear and definite grasp of their own strengths and
weaknesses, as well as an elevated sensitivity to observe what motivates,
de-motivates, satisfies, delights, annoys, and angers them.
With a solid sense of
self awareness, you multiply your predisposition to go after the opportunities
that are right for you (by leveraging your strengths, values and inner
motivational tactics) and minimize your chances of pursuing activities that are
likely to have unsatisfying or potentially harmful results.
There are four parts to
the self: mind, body, heart, and soul
(alternatively referred to as mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual).
Your mind never stops
racing; never stops talking to you. There are times, of course, when a quiet
mind would be an absolute blessing. Unfortunately, unless you excel at
meditation this is not to be.
The mind and spirit are
in constant battle for your body (and hence for what you probably think of as yourself). The mind tries to
"talk" you into doing things with what appear to be "rational
arguments." The spirit counteracts with "gut feelings" or
emotional outbursts in an attempt to get its way. Neither is always right or
wrong.
When you can see
yourself as if watching a reality movie of yourself (i.e. not in a dream, but
as if removed from your body), this is the perspective of the spirit. As Sri
Ramana Maharshi said, "The mind
turned inwards is the Self; turned outwards it becomes the ego and all the
world."
Very few people seem to
pause and consider who they truly are, or could be. Most seem too concerned
with projecting a picture of themselves to the world around them, and then
working hard to maintain this concocted (and sometimes contrived) image.
Years ago St. Augustine
wrote, "People travel to wonder at
the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of
rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars;
and they pass by themselves without wondering." This is undoubtedly
more true today than it was in his time some 16 centuries ago. And if it is
true for you, it need not be any longer. The
Project You Life Journey will help you to stop passing yourself by.
This article is excerpted from the book Project You: Living A Determined Life.
