Hey there! This will not be a technical information post; though I think, or am at least of the opinion, it is still worth your time to read!
I’m cautious about what I publish on this platform; everyone is busy nowadays and I value the time it takes to really read and digest content, especially content of decent length or substance. I make every effort possible to ensure what I do publish is not only accurate, but useful enough to pay for the reader’s time spent to really read and consume the material and the ideas being communicated.
I am originally from Ohio and I have worked for Cisco partners in the Metro Atlanta area for the last few years. Although I have worked for three different entities since moving to the area, I’ve only ever worked with one team and have survived two acquisitions; impressive, but not unheard of in this industry sector.
As with all things in life though, the sun will eventually set and rise upon something new. After much debate and personal soul searching this past month, I decided to challenge myself with a new opportunity at ByteWorks! Of particular interest in that decision and what ultimately brings us here together in this post, is introspection and it’s net value.
I think the net value of introspection is not always or necessarily the outcome of the evaluation of one’s own state of being, but rather the ability to be introspective. It requires an elevated and mature emotional state where you are willing to be critical of yourself and, should it be required, admit and accept that you are not right (or as in my case, its called “less right” … lol).
Introspection is a fascinating journey of self discovery that you’ll never reach the end of; no matter how much you know about yourself, you are always ready to teach you something new about yourself.
I spent a decent amount of time being introspective with my decision to challenge myself with a new employer; there are lots of things to consider when making this type of change. I often find that introspection allows you to answer the questions you already knew the answer to but wouldn’t have found any other way. For me, its a way to slow my thought process down and analyze the individual details and run each detail through my mental “decision simulator” and play out how each detail could impact decisions or change the environment of the circumstance. It affords me the chance to evaluate my own decision making process and how that may impact my decisions and circumstances.
I find by following the outcome of this process, despite whether it looks ‘correct’, ‘safe’ or ‘proper’ on the surface ultimately proves to be the best course of action for me in the end. This process has proven itself successful to me time and time again.
Perhaps, Introspection is more spiritual than emotional. Perhaps it’s an opportunity for your id to knock your ego down a few pegs. Personally, I think its very healthy to have these types of internal dialogs and evaluations. I’d find it difficult to think of a reason anyone couldn’t benefit from being introspective.
Give it a try!
Initially, introspection is uncomfortable and perhaps a little awkward. It might seem as if you’re trying to find a “real person” to talk to, much like you would have a conversation with someone in the real world. Just keep trying, it gets easier! Now, I’m not suggesting we all take to the streets talking aloud to ourselves; far from it! Introspective behavior is often an internal conversation or thought evaluation (but it can be out loud); a time where you can ask yourself a question and really evaluate how you would respond and often more importantly, why you would respond that way.
That is what I’ll leave you with in this post, an encouragement to be more introspective!