The Six Stages of Personal Reflection

 

The Six Stages of Personal Reflection is a simple exercise developed to guide you towards achieving ultimate objectives that might seem unattainable in the present or distant in the future. To bridge the gap between your present and ideal future self, a six-step reflection exercise can ultimately help you become the best version you can be starting from today. These six directing stages can pave the way to a deeper understanding of personal goals and self-transformation. 

How do you envision yourself to be?

When you are asking yourself about what you envision your ideal future self to be you must take a definitive and determined stance about your vision. The value in this step is that you prepare yourself affirmatively for the future you. No longer are you reluctant about what you want to become because you are training to become that person. You must have ownership of the process because you are on the road to realizing your true self. Rather than saying ‘I wish to be…’ or ‘I hope to become...’ rephrase your words with certainty as in ‘I see myself...’ or ‘I will be...”. The intention is key during this first step. 

What role do you see yourself playing?

The following step is to imagine yourself performing your role as your future self. This stage will help you feel competent and capable of actualizing your dream self. It is no longer a dream when you already know how to fulfill it so make sure you can visualize yourself practicing and embodying the role you will be carrying out in regards to yourself, family, friends, and coworkers. 

What values are driving you?

It might take you a moment when trying to articulate what same core values you abide by in the present that will survive with you to the future. Nonetheless, as soon as you spot them you realize that these motivating values are your most treasured driving forces. It might be achieving a well-balanced lifework routine where you can dedicate your life meaningfully to the family unit as well as your community. It can also be achieving milestones that fulfill your grand goals. No matter what values are driving you, it is best to realize them at the current moment.

What abilities will you need?

At this stage, one accordingly reflects on the skills they might need to achieve their developed self. A repository of skills is essential to the process of self-development. To begin this step, review stages two and three to conclude for yourself a set of skills you might be missing at the present moment. If you already have these skills, you are ready to move on to stage five. 

Are these goals possible now?

Stage five is when you realize that you have successfully placed a blueprint ahead of you. As you were configuring your direction in life, now is the time to realize if you are walking on the right path towards personifying your certainty of what you want to become, the roles you want to enact, your motivating drives, and building your skills repertoire. 

What can I do to begin this journey?

Take your time considering your motivations and values, and what truly you want to evolve into. It might seem a little effortless answering these core questions but what you are doing is breaking through the obstacles that come across you in the present concealing what you truly yearn for. Consequently, you have the idea that what you desire to become is hard to achieve and practice in real-time. Just ask yourself what you can do now to begin. Through this exercise, you will manage to bridge the gap between the present and the conceivable future thereby making the time to start this new journey now.