The Power of Self-Reflection for Personal and Career Growth

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown tomorrow, Friday 9/15. This is a somber holiday; no late-night partying or kissing at midnight. It is a deeply religious holiday, and one of Judaism’s holiest days. Rosh Hashanah is called Yom Ha-din, or the Day of Judgment. It’s the day we are judged in accordance with our actions over the past year. Then, beginning with the Jewish New Year and ending with Yom Kippur, there are ten days known as the Days of Awe, a time of intense introspection and assessment of one’s life. However, this is also a joyful time because it represents the hope of spiritual renewal and the opportunity to course correct and do better in the year to come. I am not religious, but long habits die hard. This time of year, I still make the time for conscious reflections on the past year pondering the things I went through to recognize the lessons learned and make resolutions for the year ahead.

This year, I got a head start on my personal annual review and reflection. Hiking the Cotswold Way provided the perfect conditions to observe and reflect on the natural world as well as connect with my inner self. Walking in the land of honey-colored stone, picturesque villages and spectacular views of lush green hills, was more than just a physical journey (more on that journey in my next post.) It was also a meditative deep dive into the ocean of my inner self, meeting myself on a soul level in ways that are difficult to explain. The Cotswold Way was no ordinary walk, partially because of the timing being so close to the Jewish High Holidays. To me, it felt like a prayer made by my feet in the great English countryside, a resounding feeling of “nature is my religion, and the earth is my temple.” This is beautifully summed up in the stone circle marking the end of the trail in Bath, which reads: “Ask for the old paths where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16.

I truly feel that in completing the walk I have found rest for my soul. Self-reflection, observing and analyzing oneself, is a humbling process. It is not easy to take an honest, hard look at ourselves – the good, the bad, and the ugly. It takes practice, and the reward is personal growth. The walk was a great opportunity for me to look back at what has been in order to prepare myself for what can be, a new and better year. I carefully examined my choices and actions, my successes and setbacks. I focused my attention on identifying what went well and the things I need to address through self-improvement practices.

My reflection, in its simple form, harnesses the power of the number 3, which was considered by the Greek philosopher, Pythagoras, to be the perfect number associated with harmony, wisdom and understanding. So, to conduct a basic self-evaluation, make 3 lists:

1. Three things that you did well.
2. Three things that you are grateful for.
3. Three areas of improvement.

To help outline the choices made, actions taken, and the gaps, ask the following 10 questions:

1. How would you sum up your year in one word? In one sentence?
2. Looking back at the goals I set for this year, which did I achieve? Which fell short?
3. What are the top 3 things I am most proud of this year?
4. What do I regret doing, or not doing, this year?
5. Did I live true to myself this year? Where did I miss the mark?
6. What did I struggle with this year? What were some effective strategies I applied?
7. What is a good habit that I built and made stick this year?
8. What was the best investment of my time this year?
9. What mistakes did I make this year? What are the lessons learned?
10. What do I need to stop/start/continue doing to further grow personally and professionally?

Write down your answers to gain insights that would motivate you to action.

Then, create an action plan following this 5-step process:

1. Define your Target, your desired outcomes.
2. Translate your Target into goals.
3. Break your goals into milestones.
4. Build a roadmap for success listing steps, tasks, and timelines.
5. Create a resource list of strategies, ideas, solutions, people, etc.

This process is simple, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy. You’d need to develop consistent motivation, focus, and commitment to achieve your goals, your desired outcomes. Dedicate your time, energy and effort mindfully to the things that matter the most to you along the path to better future and a better version of yourself. The commitment asked of you is not to seek perfection but rater to just take steps, however tiny, towards self-growth.

Wishing everyone, whether observing the holiday or not, a life filled with meaning, fulfillment and joy. May we all have the courage and stamina to continue on our personal journey toward being the best that we can be as individuals and as a community!