Know Yourself to Grow Yourself

I received a fortune recently that reads, “Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.” This proverb perfectly describes how our observable, human behavior is a direct reflection of the nuances that make up our internal beings – how we think, our core values, what motivates us, etc. These internal makings are not always visible to us and unless the unknown is made known, we can be blind to what is holding us back from reaching our true potential. It is our human nature to be on a constant quest for self-discovery and happiness, and sometimes we need to utilize tools to help us realize where to start.

To grow yourself, you must first discover yourself

When you have a better understanding of yourself and why you are the way you are, you can learn how to build upon your personal strengths and overcome your personal limitations. The four dimensional report by PeopleKeys is a tool that compares 1,440 points of behavior to reveal not only our personality styles, but our core values, beliefs, how we think and what motivates us. It is the ultimate tool for seeing oneself from the inside-out.

Every 4D Report comes with an action plan. If you haven’t taken the 4D assessment, check it out here. The action plan is an exercise created to help you become comfortable with maximizing your strengths, while reducing the effects of your personal limitations. Find a friend who is close to you and have him check off the list of personality traits, both strengths and limitations, which he feels are most like you. Review the list with your friend. Are you surprised by how your friend views you?

Learn from your limitations

Our limitations or weaknesses often cause us to see ourselves and others as inadequate. Limitations and strengths are our personality yin and yang. You don’t have one without the other. While we might see our limitations as imperfections, having awareness of your limitations will enable you to balance them in an appropriate manner.

Build upon your strengths

Too often we are not aware of our true capacity for helping ourselves or others. By focusing on doing what you do best, or capitalizing on your strengths, allows you to be more productive and motivated in whatever you do. Knowing that you have specific strong points and weak points will help you realize that having others on your side that can do what you cannot will be more beneficial than trying to be what you are not.

Create a personal action plan

Choose 3 personality traits based on your friend’s chosen behaviors on your 4D Report action plan. What specific actions are you going to take to improve upon these strengths or limitations within the next 30 days? Write it down and make a point to stick to it. At 30 days, review your actions. What worked? What didn’t work? What are you going to do to keep improving beyond 30 days? Keeping yourself in-check periodically by setting small obtainable and measurable goals.

Looking for more inspiration and insight? Check out our blog post on A Positive Approach to Personality.