The most essential skill you can have is the ability to find your actual self. Instead of seeking permission from others, when you know who you are, you know what you need to do.
It assists you to save a lot of aggravation caused by investing your time in the incorrect things. Yes, life is intended to be full of trial and error, but this allows you to identify the ideal places to experiment in. When you know yourself, you will gain confidence, grasp your mission, and begin to have a greater effect on the world.
So how can you know who you are and what you ought to do in life? Here are SIX steps you need to take in order to know your TRUE self:
1. Be Quiet.
You cannot and will not discover yourself until you take the time to remain still. Many individuals don't know who they are because silence frightens them; it's too unpleasant to be alone with every fault staring back at them. But you won't be able to view every aspect of your life—the good and the bad—until you take some time alone, analyze yourself, and be fully honest with yourself. Quiet yourself and uncover your genuine self.
2. Realize who you truly are, not who you want to be.
I know you already have a notion of who you want to be, but it may not be who you were born to be. When you understand who you are, you will be able to recognize where you and your unique abilities fit into the larger picture.
And, while there are numerous places along the path to help you find yourself, taking a PERSONALITY TEST is the ideal place to start. (If you haven't taken them in five years or more, take them again.)
No, these self-evaluations aren't flawless, but they do identify your top areas of strength, allowing you to focus on the change you were born to bring about.
3. Find what you are good at and not good at.
This may be the most challenging stage in understanding who you actually are, but it is also the most important. Sure, it takes trial and error to figure out what you're excellent at, and sure, I don't want you to give up before you've given it your all, but understanding when to stop is a skill that everyone should acquire.
When you've put in enough time and your efforts aren't paying off, it's time to call it quits. What really is adequate time? That is all up to you. But when you quit right, you aren't giving up; rather, you are making way for something better.
When your actions deplete you rather than rekindle your enthusiasm and drive to accomplish more, it's a solid indicator that it's time to shift your emphasis. Your strengths will show you who you are.
4. Find what you are passionate about.
Following a passion of any type is a wonderful thing, and you should pay attention to it when it appears since it indicates an area of life where you need to pay more attention. It's a positive thing if we're talking about pursuing your passion at work. And it's a positive thing if we're talking about having greater enthusiasm for life.
Focus more on your passions and gain a deeper understanding of yourself, and you will have a greater effect. Passion generates work, and consistent effort generates results, which leads to a better understanding of your actual self.
5. Ask for feedback.
Hearing what people have to say about you is a useful exercise if you don't know yourself. Ask them two basic questions:
"What strengths do you believe I should work on more?" and
"What shortcomings do you believe I should improve on?"
Of course, their view isn't going to be flawless, but their criticism will most likely point up a few things you might reconsider. This stage is very crucial for people who are having difficulty discovering themselves. Those closest to us can sometimes see things in us that we are unable to perceive in ourselves.
6. Assess your relationships.
Relationships play an important role in knowing oneself. When you understand you'll never fully know anybody else until you discover yourself, the significance of knowing oneself becomes clear.
This is especially important for business executives, since if you don't know your team members, you'll be lost as a leader. However, this guideline applies to each relationship in your life. Other people need to know who you are almost as much as you need to know yourself. People require you to be yourself.
Use your reflection to overcome your greatest anxieties, because when you realize who you are, your mission will ultimately become greater than your worries. You will spend less time spinning your wheels once you understand who you are. Concentrating on your abilities provides you the traction you need to make a greater and better difference in the world. When you know yourself, you will discover greater serenity and prosperity more quickly than ever before.
Now, go take action and discover your actual self, beginning today.