Know Yourself the Key to Meaningful Work?

Hi LinkedIn Friends,

I woke up this morning asking my self why I'm doing what I'm doing.

Who am I? Who is the person I want to become? And Why?

I assume you from time to time have these philosophical type of questions going back and forth in your head. And I felt it is good to share with you my feelings and thoughts with the intention to create some positive thinking around these questions.

Now even if the answer is not clear enough in your head, can this question help you generate some creative juices around discovering your conscious knowledge of your own character and feelings? In other words, Self Awareness?

Is it possible through Self Awareness to find meaning at work?

In Ancient Greece, the philosopher?Socrates?famously declared that the unexamined life was not worth living. Asked to sum up what all philosophical commandments could be reduced to, he replied: 'Know yourself. Aristotle also said: “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

Nowadays, Organizational Psychologists have enough evidence to support through research that when we see ourselves clearly, we are more confident and more creative. We make sounder decisions, build stronger relationships, and communicate more effectively.

Is ''Know Yourself'' the key to Meaningful Work and a Meaningful Life?

I have started and you could also start a self-awareness journal. To truly find out who you are, view yourself from a distance and write down your natural motivations, fears, goals and expectations in life by answering some of these questions.

• What am I good at work? And what I am terrible at?
• What drains my emotional energy? And what fills me with positive energy?
• Who are the most important work and social connections in my life? Why?
• What makes me happy, sad, calm or upset?
• How do my colleagues perceive me? Is it a true reflection of who I am?
• What type of tasks or work would I do for free?

The objective is to develop a life of reflection or contemplation to understand more about oneself rather than to immediately provide answers.

The answers to these questions can assist you in gathering the necessary data about yourself to create meaningful work or a meaningful life.

The fundamental building block for creating and leading the work and life you really want is a much deeper awareness of who you are. And your happiness depends on it.