"The ultimate sign of intelligence, is the ability to be self aware, and self aware enough to see how other people view you."
Howard Stern
I have found this to be one of the most important traits, yet most overlooked, ignored -- and frankly forgotten.
I'm not speaking about how you look. What clothes you wear. What car you drive.
Go deeper.
Go one level down and try to see how others view and "ingest you."
How do they process you, and the energy you give off? When peers and strangers see you, what do they, really see?
Most of us, can't do it. Most of us won't even try.
Why?
Why not ask a co-worker to really dive in? "How do you see me? How do you REALLY see me?"
Ask a customer, "how can I do better?"
It is super hard.
And, the truth is - the closer we get to asking this about ourselves to our "real personal relationships" (husband, wife, child, parent, Aunt and Uncle) - it gets even harder, and more complex.
Too much baggage.
Too much stress.
We have been conditioned to avoid stress. Stress is bad. Exhaustion and breakdowns mentally -- we are told -- are caused by overload, stress, and negative energy.
Could it be, that the process of trying to understand how others view us, is one of the most stressful, difficult, and complex things we will ever set out to do?
And, we constantly avoid it. We have been told to. "Don't do anything that will make you upset. Dont stress yourself out."
So we don't.
Go back in your email inbox and look at the most recent few emails to family, friends and co-workers -- and track the amount of times you typed the letter:
"I"
You will be shocked.
Then count the amount of times you typed:
"We"
Double shocked.
Start there. "I" did.
Then, ask the person you are closest to in your life, "how do you REALLY see me?"
Go deep. Dont let them off without going inside your psyche. Inside how they truly view you. What they would like to see you do, and act differently.
When that happens -- everything truly goes from "I" to "We"......
And, the process of true self awareness starts.
"The ultimate sign of intelligence, is the ability to be self aware, and self aware enough to see how other people view you." Howard Stern.
Displaying intelligence is hard work. It is not for the faint of heart.
