"Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action." Peter F. Drucker
We all know learning something takes time. We might not achieve what we wish to learn the first time around, so we review the material over and over until it is digested and learned.
What we want to discuss here is not learning the material, but stopping, pausing and reflecting on what we learned and allow the lesson to catch up with us. That is how growth happens.
Let me give you an example. You just realized that something happened that will directly impact your life. You will go and learn all the facts about this issue as much as you can and then try to mitigate the problem.
To get the best results from this process, John Maxwell, my mentor, suggests that after learning the facts: pause and reflect.
The first step in the process of reflection is asking yourself the following questions:
How am I feeling? Analyze your emotions. Think about how did you feel when you heard the news or experienced the event.
Then, ask what can I do? Think about what you can do to eliminate the risk.
Then, ask how can I do that? Think of steps you need to take to do what needs to be done.
When we reflect on the experience, we turn that experience into insight, a lesson. We always hear experience is the best teacher but what we learn from the experience, or the insight gained from the experience, is invaluable. The experience, if not evaluated, has no value.
The pause and reflection allows those experiences to move from being life markers to life makers, meaning the lessons we learn from those experiences will make all the difference in our life and become a maker from only a marker, an event.
When we pause and reflect, we learn how to think better and our thinking expands and we think from a higher level of consciousness. Spending time in solitude and thinking will make us a better thinker and we can find better and more creative answers to our problems. Some people even have a special place or chair to reflect. Some people have a particular date and time to reflect on what has happened or is happening in their lives in the day, over the week or the month. John Maxwell wants us to make reflection a systematic approach, and to do it consistently, because that is how we turn the events and experiences into insights or lessons that we can use to improve our lives. Those who follow this system know the value of introspection and reflection.
John always gives us systems to do things as effectively and as efficiently possible. So, he suggests to think of your 4 I’s when you pause and reflect.
What do you do in the process of reflection? You ask questions, of course. Imagine you are a person ready to train your mind to grow and you want to change your limiting beliefs about you to unlimited possibilities. You are on the path of self-development and nothing compares to asking great questions about yourself, from yourself.
Start with these questions:
Let’s illustrate with another example here. Imagine you want to improve your relationships in general and you pause and reflect. You would ask yourself these questions:
I hope you find value in this amazing concept, The Law of Reflection. It might sound like a lot of effort but that is makes life worth living and turning life markers to life makers. Never forget your goal in life should be personal growth if you want to reach your potential in any area of life. So, keep pausing, keep asking questions and keep growing. Specify a place and time to pause and reflect. Make an appointment with yourself and do it consistently. Ask those important questions to know where you are and where you need to be.
Remember when Socrates quoted Plato’s apology at his own trial: “An unexamined life is not worth living”.
Be well.
What we want to discuss here is not learning the material, but stopping, pausing and reflecting on what we learned and allow the lesson to catch up with us. That is how growth happens.
Let me give you an example. You just realized that something happened that will directly impact your life. You will go and learn all the facts about this issue as much as you can and then try to mitigate the problem.
To get the best results from this process, John Maxwell, my mentor, suggests that after learning the facts: pause and reflect.
The first step in the process of reflection is asking yourself the following questions:
How am I feeling? Analyze your emotions. Think about how did you feel when you heard the news or experienced the event.
Then, ask what can I do? Think about what you can do to eliminate the risk.
Then, ask how can I do that? Think of steps you need to take to do what needs to be done.
When we reflect on the experience, we turn that experience into insight, a lesson. We always hear experience is the best teacher but what we learn from the experience, or the insight gained from the experience, is invaluable. The experience, if not evaluated, has no value.
The pause and reflection allows those experiences to move from being life markers to life makers, meaning the lessons we learn from those experiences will make all the difference in our life and become a maker from only a marker, an event.
When we pause and reflect, we learn how to think better and our thinking expands and we think from a higher level of consciousness. Spending time in solitude and thinking will make us a better thinker and we can find better and more creative answers to our problems. Some people even have a special place or chair to reflect. Some people have a particular date and time to reflect on what has happened or is happening in their lives in the day, over the week or the month. John Maxwell wants us to make reflection a systematic approach, and to do it consistently, because that is how we turn the events and experiences into insights or lessons that we can use to improve our lives. Those who follow this system know the value of introspection and reflection.
John always gives us systems to do things as effectively and as efficiently possible. So, he suggests to think of your 4 I’s when you pause and reflect.
- Investigate the situation - stop and try to really figure it out.
- Incubation - take the experience and put it into a slow cooker of mind. By this I mean take your time as much as you want until you discover an insight.
- Illumination - after you stop and find the insight, comes the 'aha' moment, the epiphanies or sudden realization. This is the reward of the time and effort you put into pausing and reflecting.
- Illustration - in this step, now you have a good idea and 'aha' moment, give it some content, a story and make it personal so you can remember and use it.
What do you do in the process of reflection? You ask questions, of course. Imagine you are a person ready to train your mind to grow and you want to change your limiting beliefs about you to unlimited possibilities. You are on the path of self-development and nothing compares to asking great questions about yourself, from yourself.
Start with these questions:
- What is my biggest asset? Is it your open attitude to learn and expand your thinking? Is it your curiosity?
- What is my biggest liability? Do you have unrealistic expectations from yourself? Are you a pessimist? Do you talk to yourself negatively?
- What is my highest high? What do you love the most in life? What inspires and keeps you alive? Is it your family?
- What is my lowest low? Do you feel your life will end if something happens to your children or you feel the worst if you can’t provide for the ones you love?
- What is my most worthwhile emotion? Is love the most rewarding emotion for you? Is it your faith?
- What is my least worthwhile emotion? Are you at your worst when you feel like a victim? As much as having pity is good to feel toward others, self-pity is the worst of the feelings.
- What is my best habit? Are you consistent in what you do? Are you disciplined?
- What is my worst habit? Are you procrastinating? Are you impatient?
- What is most fulfilling to me in life? Do you feel at your best when you are with people and connect with them? Do you feel at your best when you add something of value to others?
- What do I prize most highly? Is your faith the highest value in your life? Is it your connection to the source? Is it your trust in God?
Let’s illustrate with another example here. Imagine you want to improve your relationships in general and you pause and reflect. You would ask yourself these questions:
- Do I value people?
- Do people know I value them?
- How do I show it?
- Am I a plus or a minus in my most important relationships?
- What evidence do I have to confirm my opinion?
- What is the love language of the people I love?
- How can I serve them?
- Do I need to forgive someone in my life who needs to be given grace?
- Who in my life should I take time to thank?
- Who in my life should be receiving more of my time?
I hope you find value in this amazing concept, The Law of Reflection. It might sound like a lot of effort but that is makes life worth living and turning life markers to life makers. Never forget your goal in life should be personal growth if you want to reach your potential in any area of life. So, keep pausing, keep asking questions and keep growing. Specify a place and time to pause and reflect. Make an appointment with yourself and do it consistently. Ask those important questions to know where you are and where you need to be.
Remember when Socrates quoted Plato’s apology at his own trial: “An unexamined life is not worth living”.
Be well.