Best Self-Reflected Paper - Essay Example

Best self reflected essay (Name) (Course) (Institution) (Instructor’s name) (Date) When I am at my best, I can achieve a lot of things and add immense value to the people, friends and family around me. In the same way that life has ups and downs, I have my ups and down, but it is the up-time that I am most interested in. This is because I have come to learn that in life, a large percentage of what happens in our lives pertains to how we react differently to a small percentage of things that to us. I have thus chosen to be positive and very reflective to understand and analyse the effects of my actions on myself and people surrounding me. I therefore asked a number of my colleagues and friends to comment on my characters when I am at my best. The responses from the people whom I involved in this exercise only capture glimpses of my character. I understand that I cannot objectively assess my strengths and capabilities in life, but their responses provide objective outlooks on my character at my best which is what I aspire in life as I plan for my post graduation life especially as a leader in the business world. Acknowledging the value of hard work always, brings out the best self. As far as I can remember, I was brought up under many ideals, but one that stood out significantly was the value of hard work. I was made to realise that hard work pays and that being lazy was not an option. According to my religion too, hard work is considered a virtue to behold. When I choose my objectives and work hard, either individually or as part of a group, I am always assured of better results. For this reason, I have always demanded more than average input from myself and from colleagues. For instance, when working in groups, I have been one person known to call for people to put in extra effort in the belief that it will pay. As a hardworking person myself, I am always ready to acknowledge the value of hard work by other people. This can be done through simple appreciation words or rewarding people who display extra zeal and zest to make things work in whatever capacity with a small token. I am at my best when I am honest to the people I interact with and to myself. Being honest requires me to always tell the truth even if withholding it may result to better outcomes in certain situations. I am an ardent follower of Shakespeare and one of the most iconic phrases he used was that “Honesty is the best policy.” In my life, I have always strived to be honest to myself and to other people. In fact, I believe that being honest to me is paramount as it prepares and enables me to be honest with other people. For this reason, I have realized that a number of my friends are comfortable opening up to me on various issues in search for an objective opinion. As an honest person, to myself to other people, I try my best to give them what I think, highlighting both the pros and cons. When it comes to my own decisions, I am keen on treating myself as a third party. This means ‘stepping out of me’ and looking at me, my actions, judgements and actions from the eyes of a third person. I am at my best when I am patient. I think that patience is one of the greatest values a human being can possess. It is greatly cited by many world religions such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and even Hinduism as a virtue to behold. Patience enables me to be slow to judge and also slow to anger. It also enables me to be observant for better understanding of situations and people for effective judgement. For me, patience is an important virtue in our lives especially in a rapidly changing world. I think that by being patient with situations and people, I get to observe all the issues at play without being biased. For me, patience is not an option but a must especially for people expected or planning to hold leadership positions in future. Leaders are expected to provide continuity and stability in organizations as well as provide stability during change phases. As an aspiring leader, I think that leaders should be patient enough with their followers and remain level headed even when provoked. Being responsible for my actions, words among others also keeps me at my best. In every day life, there are numerous examples of cases of blame game where people apportion blame to others and situations. This leads to waste of time and resources. Being accountable for my actions means that I am ready to defend them and live with the consequences. By living responsibly, the same virtue of being responsible is likely to be rubbed on the people I interact with. As an aspiring business leader, I will have a positive influence on my followers by encouraging them to be responsible and providing a true example all the time. For instance, when some business leaders make wrong decisions, they are likely to blame their juniors for such instead of acknowledging their contribution to the outcomes. In such a case, a responsible person should acknowledge that the blame squarely falls on him as he did not verify such information. I am at my best self when I am humble and put my ego away. I know I am human and for sure do posses one of the many weaknesses that prevent me from being at my best always, ego. But one thing I have learned from this assessment is that I am at my best when my ego takes a backseat. As part of a school community, part of a family and a part of a workplace community, I have realized that I cannot be king in every area. For this reason, I understand that I might be wrong at times and that I cannot be a master of all trades. By acknowledging that I have an ego which can get into my own way and that of others, putting it aside when necessary is vital. By doing so, I can delegate certain roles in my different capacities and also be open to other peoples’ views and opinions. I reckon that many current and past business and political leaders have exhibited humility to leave a lasting impression on the people and make a positive impact on the society. I am at my best when observant and very keen to minute details. There is a common saying that says “the devil lies in the details.” This I have taken literally and applied in my life in various ways. The reason I say this is because I one person who you can count on to scrutinise everything, including people. This also applies into evaluating the characters of people I interact. However, it is important to avoid being judgemental while scrutinising people. Being observant and scrutinising however, should never be confused with being nosy or being mindful of other people’s business. It is important to be observant in life to avoid falling prey to conmen and also in detecting changes. I believe I was born with a very inquisitive mind that calls for careful examination of the facts, checking out for possible pitfalls by going through all necessary details carefully. I am at best when am cool headed. In many instances, my compatriots have told me that I am very good when am coll headed. This means that I do not get carried away by excitement and euphoria that engulf people especially surrounding new things. When one is over excited about something, one’s judgement is likely to be clouded. The brain becomes overwhelmed with new developments and any perception of life and people is manipulated by the euphoria. This happens also in my personal life. I have noted that as time goes by, I meet new people, new colleagues of whom some end up becoming close friends. However, this does not mean that I will forget my childhood friends. No I cannot. There are some experiences and memories from my childhood that cannot be erased or replaced. The bonds that I created with my older acquaintances are intact though some are withered by time. However, new friends and new bonds that I make now and those that I will make later in life will only be to enrich my life and not replace existing ones. I am at my best when I motivate and encourage people in life. Having trained as a peer counsellor back in high school, I have been able to carry one peer counselling with all my acquittances where applicable. I have observed that when a colleague or friend in unhappy, the people surrounding him or her are also affected. If people around me emit negative energy, it affects me. For this reason, I have made it a prerogative in life to surround myself with people emitting positive energy who will enable me and motivate me to have a positive outlook in life. The best way to do this is having emitting positive energy from within and also reflecting other people’s positive energy. This implies that I have first to encourage and motivate people faced by difficult circumstances forcing them to emit negative energy. When they emit positive energy, I can also reflect positive energy in my life inwardly and outwardly. I achieve my best self when I plan and organize my time appropriately. This happens to be one of the greatest aspects of my life that is noticeable by nearly all people close to me. The first thing puts me up as a well organized person is how I am punctual to meetings, whether official or just catching up with friends and family. Over the years, I have gained time organization skills from the experience of having to juggle home chores, school work and play. Back in the days, I also used to help my little brother with his homework as I did y too. This encouraged me to plan time wisely in order to fulfil all my duties and complete my homework in time. With time and practice, I became a good time planner naturally. This is very important for an aspiring leader like me. In the modern workplace environment, keeping time and working within deadlines is mandatory. Business reports have to be prepared and submitted in time while meetings have to be timely. The phrase “time is money” has never been as real as it is today. Every second counts and a second lost is never recovered which differentiates the winners and losers in the world today. I have an open-minded approach to life which makes me achieve my self best. By having an open-minded approach means that I am dynamic in my thinking and ready to embrace new ideas. In a constantly changing world, one cannot afford to have a fixed approach in life if one is to be successful. Changing with changing times is paramount in order to remain competitive in the labour market and also as an individual. With technology changing within the blink of an eye nowadays, it is very important to be receptive to new ideas and to new approaches to life and work processes in general. A few years ago, some people were very sceptical about online learning. A few years later, more and more people including learning institutions have embraced online learning to enable people learn from different places and multitask. For me therefore, having an open-minded approach means that I understand that there is always room for improvement in every aspect of my life. An open minded approach makes me receptive to suggestions for improvements and even makes me approachable, a fundamental attribute of an astute leader. I am ay my level best when I am persistent and stubborn in the right way. Persistent means that I am always ready to push for more where applicable. I have been known since I was very young that I do not settle for less or average. This not only applies to the people surrounding me but also to me. I have never shied away from going the extra mile to gain that extra credit or make that extra dollar. Giving up has never been my strongest point ever. In fact, I have a strong belief that when the urge to quit is strongest, that is when one is nearest to victory. With such a mentality, I have always made sure that whatever aim or objective I have in life, I have to pursue it to the very end. I understand that the life to success is not always straight, thus I am always ready for the distractions and the detours along the way. Keeping a clear focus and pushing for the ultimate prize makes me stubborn in the right manner until I get my goal. Nonetheless, it is important to acknowledge the impossibilities in life hence I choose and analyse my objectives well. Being humorous brings out the best of me. Life is a journey full of ups and downs. There will be celebrations and there will be disappointments in life. One common thing that many are not very keen about is the funny side of life amid all the objectives and goals one sets in life. To do this, one has to enjoy life if one has to also maintain a normal head. I take time to pose for a moment in my daily activities and just take in the amusement provided by daily activities. I take time to laugh and see the humour in certain situations. This does not help in relieving the tensions that crop up in life but has worked as strategic option in relating with other people. This works by telling jokes or narrating events in a satirical manner where applicable. Through experience, I have noticed that public speaking, be it in meetings or during group discussions, cracking a joke occasionally makes people more attentive and lively. Boring speeches often make listeners to doze off or their minds just wander away. As such, all leaders in life should have a sense of humour to assist them in interacting with people especially where long talks are involved. Being optimistic in life brings out the best in me. In life, I have encountered many experiences, both good and bad. I have suffered disappointments and frustrations, yet I have not given up on my hopes and dreams in life. I have chosen to have a positive outlook in life, hoping for the best and being realistic enough to expect bad moments. For people used to working hard and giving it all, the results are not always assured. The fighting spirit has to be there. Knowing that one needs to fight today to live another day implies hoping for a better day. In fact, this is one reason why one undergoes training and goes through hard years of schooling, to have a better day in future and gainful employment. Possession of skills and knowledge also contribute to confident self. All the above are aspects of my life which mould who I am. Some of these aspects are more elevated and obvious in my life than others. For this reason, how one person perceives me maybe different from how another perceives me. However, the above are the common themes I learnt about myself from the feedbacks from the people I involved in this study. Majority the people have known people for a considerable period of time. I believe that all these traits bring out the best in me. Now that I am ware of what brings out the best in me, I will be more dedicated to strengthening them to make me a better person. As I prepare for my contribution in the corporate world, I will make a lasting change to the organization I work and the people I interact with. Appendix Response table Emergent Theme Specific Statements My Interpretation 1 Honesty 1 “you always stand by your word and do not make empty promises” 2 “you always tell the truth” I always try to remain true to myself and to other people. 2 Hardworking 1 “You work so tirelessly to achieve your goals in life and not just for the rewards that come along with it.” 2 “You are the engine that drives our discussion group with your work rate” I always try to outdo myself. I set my goals carefully and relentlessly work towards them 3 Optimistic 1 “You one of the few people that I know that always see the best in life, people and situations despite the odds” 2 You always talk of how you will start a big company and live large I have a positive outlook in life that enables to hope for the best out of situations 4 Well organized 1 You have never seen late for class even for a single day 2 You always plan for your study time and even manage to stay within your budget always I always plan well for my time and money and stick within the allocations. 5 Patient 1 “I have known you to know what you ant in life and you are ready to wait not matter how long its takes without being distracted by un-important outcomes.” 2 I have never seen you overlap in traffic congestions I have a high level of tolerance towards other people and given situations. 6 Persistent and stubborn 1 “When you set your mind to achieve something in life, you always go for it and push hard” 2 You don’t give up very easily 3 I know what I want in life and I reckon that it will not be offered to be on a silver plate. 7 Cool headed 1 “You always manage to be cool no matter the situation you are in” 2 You have a very sober approach to life 3 You have an aura of superiority in a unique way I am slow to anger and always try to be happy with myself and the people around me 8 Open minded 1 “You are always open to new ideas and you are of many people who never questioned my sexual orientation” 2 I am curious and accommodating naturally to ideas and people 9 Responsible 1 “You always know how to take care of yourself and those around you.” 2 “you always stand by your words and actions no matter the outcome” I stand by what I say and I am always willing to defend it. 10 Humble 1 “You are so down to earth that at times its annoying” 2 “You have a very good grasp on your ego” 3 “You are very popular with my kids” I consider all people equal no matter their earthly belongings 11 Observant 1 “I can trust you to differentiate between a fake and an original, whether a person or item” 2 “you are always good at noticing minute details that everyone overlooks” I am very attentive to details and I am not easily fooled by first time impressions 12 Motivating 1 “You have always encouraged me to pursue my goals in life despite the odds.” I motivate people and encourage them to keep going forward no matter the challenges 13 Humorous 13.1 “I can count on you to make me smile whenever I am down” I love being happy and making everyone happy Read More