You may have heard the Aristotle saying: "Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom" This is no little thing, hard to accomplish and perhaps the endeavor of an entire lifetime. Although we are often our own biggest critics, it seems that the occupancy of day to day life in our minds prevents us looking in as opposed to reacting to what's coming in all the time.
Introspection is hard.
A tactic to make it more doable is to make three lists.
A list of needs, a list of wants, and a list of likes.
The needs are the highest priority things in your life (aside from the food, shelter, water needed from survival).
The wants are mid-priority items. These are things that you put an emphasis on, but would get pushed aside for the items in the need list.
The likes or low-priority items. These are things that you want to do or get when you have time and money left over. They get (or should get) pushed aside most of time by the items in list one and two.
This process itself is a form of introspection, but take it a step further. Order the items in each list and take a look at them. What do these items say about you and your relationships.
When you take a look in this way, would you (or should you) move certain items to another list?
Where has your health, income, family and friends landed on these lists?
Does it make sense to share and compare the lists with others?
Can a process like this give you some insight on what really drives and motivates you? Can this knowledge propel you towards achieving your goals?
Sincerely,
Somnath Sikdar
Master Instructor
