Tuesday, October 5, 2010 /
By John Stevenson, sports psychologist /
PART 2 of 2
PREREQUISITES OF HONESTY AND COURAGE
Some people are not prepared to face the truth about themselves.
For example, a student may use his perceived self-image as a fun-loving person as an excuse for doing poorly in his school grades. In reality, he is a procrastinator and he puts off doing his homework or studying for the exams till the last minute.
When you know who you are, you may have to change; and some people just do not want to change because changing demands effort.
Self-awareness requires honesty and courage…to get in touch with what we are thinking, feeling, and doing and to face the truth about ourselves.
BENEFITS OF SELF-AWARENESS
The better you understand yourself, the better you are able to accept and change who you are.
Being in the dark about yourself means that you will continue to get caught up in your own internal struggles and allow forces to mould and shape you.
As we move forward as a society, the knowledge-based economy demands that we upgrade our knowledge and skills to keep up with the ever-changing culture.
However, the starting point should be the knowledge of oneself as a unique individual and how one relates to this new economy.
The clarity with which you can answer these questions:
“Who am I?”
“Where have I been?”
”Where am I going?”
...determines your capability to chart your own destiny and realize your potential.
REALISTIC VIEW
In your quest to know yourself, do not think of yourself more highly than you should.
In other words, have a no-superiority attitude.
Rather, have a sober view of your strengths.
On the other hand, do not exaggerate your weaknesses and look down on yourself.
Also, do not excuse or rationalize your weaknesses.
We need a realistic view of both our strength and weaknesses if we are to know our true selves.
How we see ourselves may be clouded by the feedback messages we received about ourselves from others.
But how could anyone know more about you than you?
They don’t feel your emotions or think your thoughts; they don’t face the issues that you wrestled with.
No one could know you better than you! Therefore, do not let others look down on you.
REFRESHER ON SELF-AWARENESS
As per Part 1 of 2, from last issue, here is a quick refresher on self-awareness.
This characteristic is very closely tied to self-understanding and a proper recognition of both helps players to be their best.
Self-awareness is the process of looking inside yourself thoroughly in order to see your full potential and your uniqueness. It is a journey of self-discovery that requires courage and commitment.
Self-awareness is taking a close look at yourself, seeing your strengths as well as your limitations, and deciding what you like and what you need to change in order to be a more successful performer. Self-awareness embraces the Physical (how the body feels), the Technical (how to execute a skill), the Tactical (how to approach the performance), and the Mental (how the mind is responding).
The key question to ask yourself is: “How will you know what to change for the better if you don’t examine yourself?” Self-awareness is the first step to gaining self-control!
Self-awareness is your inner rudder-a gut feeling of what is right/wrong or good/bad-an ability to read what is happening. Awareness is the ability to identify what it is you are thinking, feeling, and doing. It is an ongoing attention to one’s internal states. It’s knowing one’s internal states, preferences, resources, and intuitions.
You need to be aware of those things that erode your personal power or diminish your control, i.e., make you Vulnerable. It is central to all the mental skills. You need to develop a strong sense of self, a certain wisdom or self-understanding.
John Stevenson is a registered sports psychologist and a goaltending consultant for the Saskatoon Blades. |