If we become aware of what's happening before we act, behaviour becomes a function of choice rather than a result of an impulse or trigger. You begin to control your world more as opposed to the outside world controlling you.
Interpretation
Awareness allows us to make intentional choices rather than react impulsively.
This quote by Marshall Goldsmith emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in our actions. When we are conscious of our thoughts and feelings before we respond, we empower ourselves to make deliberate choices instead of allowing impulses to dictate our behavior. By cultivating this awareness, we can take control of our lives and influence our surroundings positively, rather than being at the mercy of external circumstances.
In practice
During a leadership workshop discussing emotional intelligence, this quote can illustrate the importance of self-regulation.
Active questions are the alternative to passive questions. There is a huge difference between, 'Do you have clear goals?' and 'Did you do your best to set clear goals for yourself?' The former is trying to determine the employee's state of mind; the latter challenges the employee to describe or defend a course of action.
Treat every piece of advice as a gift or a compliment and simply say, “Thank you.
The only thing I don't think people don't understand about good leaders is that they're both good and lucky. A lot of it is timing.
Life is short. Do whatever you can to help people - not for status, but because the 95-year-old you will be proud if you did help people and disappointed if you didn't.
A leader who is self-aware enough to know that he or she is not adept at everything is one who has taken the first step toward being a great leader.
One of the most important actions, things a leader can do, is to lead by example. If you want everyone else to be passionate, committed, dedicated, and motivated, you go first!
What you do for yourself, any gesture of kindness, any gesture of gentleness, any gesture of honesty and clear seeing toward yourself, will affect how you experience your world. In fact, it will transform how you experience the world. What you do for yourself, you’re doing for others, and what you do for others, you’re doing for yourself.
Because truth is exceedingly subtle and serene, the bliss of the Self can manifest only in a mind rendered subtle and steady by assiduous meditation.
But when I thought I hit bottom, it started hitting back. There is no bruise like the bruise loneliness kicks into your spine.
The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.
The greater intellect one has, the more originality one finds in men. Ordinary persons find no difference between men.
We live and learn, or, perhaps more importantly we learn and live.
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