The Importance Of Self-Reflection In Business Growth
Contemplation, serious thought, pondering…. whatever you call it, a broader umbrella term for all of these words is self-reflection. As a business owner, you surely have your attention pulled in several different directions, and it may be challenging to slow down and reflect on yourself and the events of each day.
When you think about all the demands on your time, not to mention the countless phone calls, notifications, emails, social media posts, and other issues all begging for attention, it can be hard to put that all aside and take a few precious moments to reflect on your number one priority……. you.
Did you sign a contract agreeing to all of these extra demands on your time, or did you slowly adjust to all of the additional data flowing your way, not giving thought to how it would affect your mind, body, and spirit? Perhaps it’s time to close the laptop, put the phone down, and bring out the old-fashioned tools of pen and paper to reflect on your day.
How self-reflection affects your business
Introspective thinking is an essential skill to cultivate because it shows us our patterns of success and failure, habits we need to develop more fully, and some that we should drop like hot coals.
Most business owners tend to feel unproductive and overwhelmed at times. We know we want to improve we know that we are interested in growth, but it can feel that we are spinning our wheels at times and failing to make significant progress. A little self-reflection might be useful for boosting our own confidence in our abilities.
Self-reflection is looking at who you are, where you are, and where you would like to go. Being honest with yourself and what you are doing in these sessions is key to growth; you will only continue to move forward if you take a good hard look at where you are, and give yourself the compassion to make changes needed for success.
How to incorporate self-reflection into your busy schedule
The most organized entrepreneur knows that little things come up during the day that can derail the best-laid plans. Having a set time, either at the beginning or the end of the day, will allow you to reflect on the events that have occurred, or to set your intention for what you would like to happen. As you sit down for your initial sessions, you might use these questions to guide you in your process:
What has gone well today? Where have I succeeded?
What has not gone well? What would I have liked to have done differently?
What skills would I like to work on to be a more productive person? Business leader?
How can I take action in order to make that ideal picture happen? What are some steps I can take tomorrow?
Committing to this process, both personally and professionally, will help you to see where your patterns have led you and what changes you must make to ensure that you can get to where you want to go. It will take time, and you will not always want to sit down and do it, but it will pay for itself in dividends once you start seeing where your energy is taking you.
Accentuate the positive
When you first begin the process of self-reflection, it is easy to get sucked into a negative spiral of sorts, focusing on all of the things that you are doing wrong, rather than what you are doing well. A good ratio for moving forward is three positive thoughts for every negative thought that you have. This will be a process! Most of us are conditioned to think very negatively or with limitations; turning your mind around to focus on positive, uplifting thoughts is magical--watch what happens to yourself and your business when you commit to this pathway!
Where will your reflections take you?
You’re on the road to growth and self-development, good for you! The more you can adopt new ways of thinking and doing, the more growth you will see in your personal and professional life. Leverage your success by making associations with people who have been there and done that. At MaxGroup Business Solutions, we know business inside and out. Our comprehensive marketing and growth packages will leverage your time, your talent, and your efforts exponentially. Let us help you enhance your growth; take the time to see what we can do for you and your business. Visit www.maxgroupbusiness.com for more information.