As the year comes to an end, I look back at the successes and failures I’ve experienced and think about how to grow from them. Reflection is a huge part of my life, and I think everyone should strive to take time on a regular basis to reflect.
One of the things I strive to do every year is to approach life with a bit more creativity than the last. Here are a few questions you need to ask yourself to be more creative in 2015:
Am I holding myself back?
I am constantly holding myself back in ways that I don’t realize until later. Whether that’s dreaming small or just not following through on my goals, it is really up to me to take things to the next level.
I suspect that I’m not the only one doing this. It is extremely easy to think that we have reached the heights of our abilities. To think that after pushing so hard, and working so diligently, that we have given all we have to give.
But really, there is always some way to get a little more creative and come up with even more ways to grow ourselves.
Am I being true to myself?
While going about the daily grind, I don’t always have the time to think about whether I am living up to the expectations I have for myself and others. There are places to be and things to do, and taking time to think before every task can mean the difference between success and failure.
Just the same as it takes a series of small steps to reach a goal, a series of small steps can lead us astray. Taking the time to think whether my path has taken me towards or away from my morals, my goals, and my beliefs is what lets me adjust.
Maybe I have taken on too many commitments that keep me from working on my true purpose. Or perhaps I have started to focus my efforts and attention on things that aren’t going to sustain me in the long run. This is when I reflect about that and hopefully catch myself in time.
Am I connecting with others to help expand my horizons?
Working with others is inevitable, regardless of your profession and career choices. However, there is a difference between working with others and connecting with them.
Connecting involves spending time with people to develop meaningful and mutual beneficial relationships. Learning about others is all about seeing what makes others tick and how they view the world. Through these experiences, your own world will expand.
Love the advice of being true to ourselves. – “Maybe I have taken on too many commitments that keep me from working on my true purpose.” Great advice, Ryan.