Why is it so challenging to discover the True You? We live with ourselves every day and no one could possibly know us better. Who else hears those voices in our head or feels those reactions in our gut or heart?
This closeness or intimacy we have with ourselves is precisely what makes discovering you so challenging. You are not objective! You are emotionally attached, sometimes overly, to what you think and feel. No wonder it is difficult to see the True You.
If we are our own best input, yet are also the most clouded-head thinker and highly emotional person we could have involved, how do we find our path through the forest when all we can see are trees? It is rare the individual who can find the path without some outside assistance.
There are many great books, most with accompanying workbooks, to help with the process of self-discovery. Many will focus on a similar process of reflecting back upon your past on things you did well and enjoyed, contrasted with those that weren’t so rewarding and fulfilling. You will be asked to consider how you prefer to work; alone, in groups, with supervision or with freedom with occasional check-ins. Do you enjoy being part of a large company with vast resources and opportunities? Do you prefer an entrepreneurial venture where the existence of the company depends primarily on you?
The primary intent is to discover your natural strengths. If you have been working for some time, you have likely developed some skills around these natural strengths that can serve you in transitioning to a new field. If you are just starting out, understanding your strengths can help you identify opportunities that will allow you to put those strengths to work.
Most of us can do many things; however if we invest in ourselves and explore a bit deeper, we will come to understand those things we naturally excel in and the activities that make our heart sing. If we could spend our days singing, wouldn’t life be a beautiful melody?
If you would like recommendations for books to help you with this process, e-mail me at barbara@acceluspartners.com.