Busy professionals are notorious for not making time to reflect on their activities.
“Too busy,” they say. Which is an ineffective excuse.
Periodically take stock of your current level of awareness to learn what you are doing, or could be doing, by using a quick three-step exercise I call, The “Huh? No Duh. A-ha!” System.
Huh?
When you ask, “Huh?” it can be an uncomfortable place. It is the expression given when we get blindsided by something, or feel overwhelmed with information we have not been able to process yet.
Questions to ask yourself include;
- What confuses me about this?
- What do I not understand that I think I should?
- Why?
No Duh.
An important leadership skill is getting people to say, no duh to your vision because, it is an assertion, albeit flippant, that denotes the confirmation of a no-brainer, or something that is already understood or a given. While this is a great place to be if you need mastery to face an upcoming change, it is also where hubris thrives, so it is worth shaking the branches to see what assumptions fall out.
Ask yourself;
- What do I already know about this topic/problem?
- Who else knows this?
- How did I learn this?
A-ha?
Eureka moments are fun. I am personally addicted to them. Learning something new, fixing a long-standing problem, or helping someone else to ‘see the light’ is invigorating. Therefore, it is worth making the time to acknowledge, celebrate, and share your insights.
Ask yourself:
- What did I recently learn or come to understand?
- How did learning it make me feel?
Personal reflection is crucial for personal development. Keeping track of your Huh? No Duh. and A-ha! moments are an easy way to contemplate your recent actions or inactivity. Your answers will provide rich ideas for new goals.
To help you pursue those goals and stay accountable to yourself, reach out to Karl Bimshas Consulting. We help busy professionals find the a-ha within.
Also published on Medium.