Dhruv Varshney is the A.S. Director of Sustainability Affairs. In this Spartan Voice by A.S. Blog, Dhruv shares his story on Self Awareness, one of eight Core Values in the Associated Students Strategic Plan. Read more about our organization’s values in the A.S. Strategic Plan here.
It is easy to criticize and appreciate others, but an unbiased opinion of oneself is difficult. It is easy to adjust personalities, trying to “fit in” in this world. We speak to please. We act to be accepted. In turn, we change identities without control. Our values and relationships become incoherent. The declarative “I am” becomes vague. We lose ourselves. I too lose myself; Often, I feel the need to slow down and look within. The phrase “Know Thyself” is centuries old but is still one of the elusive meta-skills of our
My journey has been heavily shaped by experiences and people I have met so far. Throughout my life, I have been privileged to have met a diverse group of individuals. It is fascinating how people from distinct nationalities, ethnicities, and backgrounds hold such unique and amazing personalities, and use them to interact with the world.
The way an individual interacts with themselves and the world around them significantly impacts their life and destination. One can alter the direction of their life by changing their thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. There is nothing wrong about altering your personality. Change and progress are a part of life. However, to achieve that, one must be self-aware. One must have a superior understanding of themselves as a whole. We then are engaged to embrace changes and expand on our territories of solidarity as we recognize our areas of improvement.
Self-awareness is being aware of your strengths while recognizing areas of improvement. In the highly competitive culture we live in today, recognizing one’s limits and owning up to mistakes might seem irrational. In the fear of scrutiny and judgment, we work on the conviction that we should constantly be perfect. From my experience, I have learned that really the opposite is true. Whether one recognizes their shortcomings or not, the world still observes them. In the process of concealing them, individuals tend to highlight them, creating a crystal-clear view of lack of self-awareness and integrity. As a leader, this idea becomes an integral factor when I communicate with people who do not appear to comprehend their emotions. Often people tend to respond, unaware of how they feel and therefore react spontaneously. It is crucial to take time, self-awareness is not acquired overnight. Being aware of your limitations is essential to true agility. In the race between the tortoise and the rabbit, the tortoise understood his limitations and did not try to outrun the rabbit; He slowly but surely finished the race. Agile leaders recognize their positives and negatives. And they use this to make mindful decisions and delegate tasks in areas where they are not as skilled.
Self-awareness is the basic building block for professional and leadership development, which needs to be nurtured and cultivated over time. Life is a journey that introduces us all to amazing experiences and people. Take time to enjoy, reflect, and learn from them; you will not be disappointed.
