Joe Cohen provides human capital consulting, leadership and business coaching through 40 Pillars LLC.
Throughout my 15 years as an executive coach and HR consultant, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the transformative power of leadership self-awareness in action. I’ve also reached a profound personal realization of the importance of self-awareness in my own life.
The past few years found me delving especially deeply into self-reflection and spirituality to become more aware of my own beliefs and better understand how they could be holding me back. I then applied what I’d learned to help my clients better cultivate similar levels of self-awareness.
Today, I firmly believe that self-awareness is the key to personal growth and evolution.
When we are aware of our thoughts, emotions and behaviors, we have the power to take control and steer our lives in the direction we truly wish to go. Conversely, when we are blind to our unconscious patterns and tendencies, we become subject to their influence, allowing them to gain undue control over our actions and decisions.
The jobs and relationships we choose for ourselves as a result of our self-awareness (or lack thereof) also play a significant role in shaping our reality. Too often, we fail to create the necessary space for self-awareness to truly understand our desires and aspirations. But making a conscious decision to do otherwise can change everything.
What Is Self-Awareness?
Before beginning the journey to self-awareness, it is crucial to fully define it. Self-awareness, in its purest form, is the ability to wholeheartedly acknowledge and accept all aspects of ourselves—the good, the not-so-good and even the ugly. It requires us to confront our vulnerabilities, insecurities and flaws and embrace them without judgment or shame.
However, these very benefits also make the pursuit of self-awareness challenging for many individuals. Some simply lack interest in self-reflection, while others initially possess some level of awareness but eventually hit roadblocks along the path to further exploration.
Fear often lies at the root of such roadblocks. We fear what we might uncover if we dig too deep, afraid of confronting the parts of ourselves we deem unworthy or unlovable. Additionally, there is the fear that self-awareness may reveal aspects of ourselves that could conflict with our self-regard. Fear of change can also paralyze, as self-awareness often requires making unsettling adjustments and taking risks.
Self-Awareness And Leadership
Self-awareness enables leaders to truly understand themselves and their teams, fostering an environment where everyone feels safe, valued and motivated to contribute their best. By practicing and developing their sense of self-awareness, leaders can tap into their emotions, regulate them effectively and further develop their emotional intelligence.
According to psychologist Daniel Goleman’s popular emotional intelligence model, self-awareness is one of the five components of emotional intelligence. This highlights its pivotal role in enhancing social skills, fostering collaboration and establishing healthy boundaries—essential soft skills present in all effective leaders.
How To Become More Self-Aware
The journey to self-awareness and greater emotional intelligence doesn’t happen overnight. But a few well-chosen steps are all it takes to start you on your way. Here are a few to consider.
Collaborate with the right professionals.
Finding the right coach or therapist to help you along the way can be pivotal when it comes to activating and boosting self-awareness. They know what it takes to get where you want to be and can offer you the perspective you need to get there yourself.
Over the past 10 years, I’ve been privileged to work with a coach and therapist who’ve led me to a much deeper level of self-understanding. With their help, I’ve successfully confronted limiting beliefs, identified negative life patterns and more. You can do the same.
Dive deeper into subconscious patterns.
Embracing a way to dive deeper into the subconscious patterns that could be blocking your progress can really help speed you on your way to self-awareness and better self-regard. Psychedelic therapy was that catalyst for me.
Through carefully guided experiences, including a profound transformative journey in South America last year, I’ve gained access to my subconscious mind and identified the gap between the self-regard I thought I had and the reality of the negative self-perception I still struggled with.
Embrace opportunities for further growth.
Once I realized I wasn’t as self-aware as I thought I was, a whole world full of valuable personal growth opportunities opened up in front of me. In order to further explore those opportunities, I came up with a collection of practices for self-exploration and self-integration that fit my needs and goals.
Finding one or more approaches that work for you can help you turn a similar corner toward mindfulness, self-awareness and higher levels of self-regard. Engage in these activities regularly to redefine your self-perception and build a more compassionate relationship with yourself.
Recognize the ongoing nature of the journey.
Self-awareness isn’t a destination you reach after a successful journey. It’s the journey itself, which becomes increasingly clearer as you learn more about yourself. In my own journey, I’ve learned to lean into vulnerability while also acknowledging that there will always be more to learn.
So make a commitment to ongoing growth. View each new revelation as an opportunity to connect further with your authentic self. Approach future growth opportunities with open-mindedness and curiosity. You’ll be glad you did.
Make radical curiosity part of your permanent mindset.
The journey toward self-awareness is a rewarding one that can make you a more effective leader and person. Cultivating a sense of radical curiosity about yourself and the motivations behind your decisions is crucial, and the resulting insights are priceless.
In my work as a coach and consultant, I work with many leaders on concepts like self-awareness and self-regard. I can also assure you that their efforts yielded major dividends.
Ultimately, self-awareness is so much more than a buzzword or a passing trend. It is a fundamental aspect of personal and professional development. Embarking on a journey toward self-discovery and self-awareness can unlock our true potential, reveal our strengths and weaknesses and help us navigate life’s challenges with grace and authenticity.
As leaders, self-awareness becomes even more critical, enabling us to create a supportive and empowering environment for our teams where innovation and growth thrive. Embrace the power of self-awareness and the transformational path toward self-discovery and success. There are no limits to where it can take you.
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