As a leader, I often coach on the art of reflection as it is an under-practiced tool. When we take the time to look back and consider past events, we are giving ourselves the space and time to examine our core beliefs. These underlying assumptions brought us to a certain point and place of knowledge, all while drawing connections between disparate pieces of information.
Studies have shown that reflection leads to better decision-making in the future and can also lead to breakthroughs in the present by giving us a new perspective. So why don’t we spend more time reflecting if it could lead to better outcomes?
One of the biggest challenges we face today is finding time. We fill our days from morning to night and are constantly connected to devices that interrupt us. To enable the ability to reflect, we must stop, be still and give ourselves space. For many of us, that may mean setting time aside on our calendar and creating a practice around it. Many different methods may assist you in setting the time and space. Here are some ideas – reviewing your goals, creating a journal, setting up a time for daily gratitude, or even setting a weekly meeting with yourself to review your decisions from the week. Why don’t you try a few and see what works best for you? As Jack Canfield stated, “The Law of Probabilities: the more things you try, the more likely one of them will work.”
I would love to hear how you have used reflection to lead to better decisions and outcomes.