A common question we get asked at AWARE is ‘how do I get from knowing my values to becoming self-aware?’ The quick answer is in your ability to evaluate yourself with clarity and without bias. On the surface this looks relatively simple, however as N
A common question we get asked at AWARE is ‘how do I get from knowing my values to becoming self-aware?’ The quick answer is in your ability to evaluate yourself with clarity and without bias. On the surface this looks relatively simple, however as Nicky Mackie (co-founder of Aware) and I both continue to discover, our true ability to be fully aware can be a rough, exhilarating and surprising lifetime journey. It is not in the amount of self-introspection we do. It is in the internalising of the subconscious awakening that comes from putting fear and judgment aside. We can look beyond the reflection in the mirror of want we want to see and take the risk to go behind the self-image we have carefully cultivated. It is in this shadow we can discover the endless potential, the humanity and the parts locked away from the world (and often ourselves). Here lies our authenticity, our courage and the future self-emergence to be who we should and always could have been.
If the thrill and excitement of rediscovering yourself isn’t enough, becoming self-aware improves all areas of your life, relationships, and leadership roles that we all traverse through in a lifetime.
Nicky Mackie (co-founder of Aware) and I both continue to discover, our true ability to be fully aware can be a rough, exhilarating and surprising lifetime journey. It is not in the amount of self-introspection we do. It is in the internalising of the subconscious awakening that comes from putting fear and judgment aside. We can look beyond the reflection in the mirror of want we want to see and take the risk to go behind the self-image we have carefully cultivated. It is in this shadow we can discover the endless potential, the humanity and the parts locked away from the world (and often ourselves). Here lies our authenticity, our courage and the future self-emergence to be who we should and always could have been.
If the thrill and excitement of rediscovering yourself isn’t enough, becoming self-aware improves all areas of your life, relationships, and leadership roles that we all traverse through in a lifetime.
16 reasons being AWARE will change your Life?
The benefits are personal and much, much more. Let’s take you through a few benefits that you can achieve in becoming AWARE.
- When we are truly self-aware, we see, interact and relate to the world differently.
- We are cognizant -, mentally connected- with who we really are and why we move in the spaces we find ourselves.
- We are conscious of what we feel, say, and do with a deeper understanding of its impact on our lives and those around us.
- We grow a new level of rational, sensibilities that regulate our emotions, letting us make better choices and relationships in life.
- We feel alive and awake with the knowledge of something unique and special, our true, authentic self.
- Being aware leads to greater happiness and contentment, social effectiveness and confidence.
- Being aware creates an internal and external vigilance, an alertness in deciphering and reading our experiences.
- Awareness, in its essence, gives us the power to influence outcomes.
- With a deeper knowledge of who we are, we can become more creative and resilient in our decision-making processes.
- We can elevate our self-confidence — giving us access to seeing each situation with more clarity. In this way our communication improves, anchored in honesty and authenticity.
- Our intentions become clearer to those around us.
- We have the capability of seeing each moment, relationship, and interaction from an abundance of viewpoints.
- In business and in leadership, awareness is the key to high performance, decision agility and personal and professional growth.
- Awareness sets us free from our own hidden agendas, judgments, biases and assumptions that hold us back from love, success and peace in our lives.
- We learn the skill of understanding how others really see us-from partners and friends, to workplaces and beyond.
- With an aware outward perception, we can connect and emphasize with people from all different backgrounds and cultures.
Being AWARE in Leadership and Business is vital.
When we look outward, we understand how people view us. Becoming aware of how people see us, how we appear to the public social world, makes us more likely to be empathetic to people with different perspectives. Leaders whose self-perception matches others' perceptions are more likely to empower, include, and recognize others. This divergent mindset expands possibilities and brings creativity and innovation to everything we do.
The style of leadership in business is changing, and companies and organisations are looking for leaders with the strength to lead, adapt fast and the compassion to support others. Although on the surface this value-add looks easy, given the amount of professional development, life experiences and skills leaders master to be in their position. The reality is, according to recent research, that only 10-15% of all of us, actually meet the self-awareness measurements.
Although this may not seem problematic to some, a lack of self-awareness becomes concerning when our leaders are governing decision-making, from business to countries. Where 45% of CEO’s make their decisions based on instinct, the depth of introspection that guides that instinct is extremely important. Perception is driven by experiences, insight and unknown biases. Galinsky and colleagues researched power and perception (self vs other orientation -the two links to meta-awareness) and discovered across five studies that compared to individuals with little power—high-power individuals anchor too heavily on their own perspectives and demonstrate a diminished ability to correctly perceive others’ perspectives.
The springboard of power combined with perspective-taking may be a particularly constructive force to develop socially responsible global leaders.
Looking beyond ourselves, leaders with little self-awareness may not be able to make conscious choices that benefit those around them, the business goals and the world that is impacted by them. It is our ability to become truly aware, to awaken the possibility of what we don’t know, that will improve and elevate leadership for the future. We all will benefit from aware leaders who have the courage to dig deeper into their motivations, biases, and abilities for a more positive and uplifting result. Outcomes for business and leadership are hinged on the capacity for our future companies to invest in true self-awareness as a continued growth mindset, if we want socially responsible organisations that people want to work for and purchase from.
Aware Awakening
When we stop challenging our world view and assume we are knowledgeable enough to create an emotional status quo, we enter the blame and shame game. It slowly becomes everyone else’s fault for bad decisions, failed relationships, low profits and high turnovers. It is ‘their’ failure for not being creative enough or flexible and adaptive to change and your needs. All at a subconscious level. Being unaware is not a conscious error in your cognitions. It is a reluctance to find the courage to question what you knew, what your beliefs and values are and what was the prototype constructs that built them in the first place. It is the strength to seek the knowledge to see yourself from another perspective.
Now, imagine a life where all 16 benefits of becoming aware are possible.
What happens next?
AWARE has developed, based on these research findings and 40 combined years in psychology and business, the skills to reset, review and reenergise your self-awareness in life, leadership and business. Perhaps it is your time to find the peace, happiness and success in your Life, Leadership or Business and begin exploring the gaps you can’t see to become authentically self-aware.
Sarah Godfrey is a psychologist and mindset coach, director and business owner, board co-chair and co-founder of Aware.