We often try to identify our existence with our position in society, friends, and family, the desires of our bodies, and the emotional and intellectual expressions of our minds. For instance, we might introduce ourselves as ‘I am a business administration student, and I live in The Netherlands’. We never take time to think of the real nature of our existence, answering questions like, ‘Who am I? What kind of a leader do I want to become?’.
Self-awareness is learning to understand better why you make decisions in a particular way as a leader. Once you know why you act in a certain way, you can create the life you want. Clarifying who you are and what you want to accomplish in life can feel empowering, giving you the confidence to make sustainable, responsible changes. I want to introduce a challenge you can see as a start to becoming a more self-aware leader.
The Self-Awareness Challenge
The next time you meet a new person, try something new. Describe yourself without mentioning the external things that define you, like your friends, education, family, etc. Focus on concentrating only on yourself, what you feel, and how you behave, and try to name some strengths and weaknesses instead of talking about what you study.
Getting caught up in internal emotions can be easy, which can negatively affect our self-perception. You can change the interpretation in your mind about what you think. Also, you can change your feelings and shift the emotional quality of your relationships. When you change the emotions in your relationship, you can open yourself up to new experiences. Through a clear understanding of your thoughts, your gut, and your beliefs, you can relate with other people. This is one of the most critical qualities on your journey to becoming a responsible leader with integrity and self-awareness.
Hi, I’m Lea. Currently, I am the National Marketing Director of AIESEC in The Netherlands.
We offer international voluntary projects and professional internships to develop leadership in youth. You can read more about leadership-related topics here.
