Unlock Your Authentic Self: Mastering Self-leadership

How strong is your identity?

You didn’t get a choice about the time and place of your birth or the culture you are born into, and so your early identity is a matter of chance.

As you mature, you may question,

“Who am I?
What do I want to become?”

This is the beginning of self-awareness, but it will take practicing self-leadership to exercise choice to become the best version of yourself.

When I speak on stage at conferences, conventions, or events, I often share stories of overcoming my own challenges, and some inspiring stories from my clients, or public figures.

I tell my audience, “I would never wish adversity upon anyone, but also I wouldn’t deny anyone tough times”. Through adversity and tough times, we discover what we are capable of and find our self-leadership.

 Victor Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist, and Holocaust survivor, wrote the bestselling book, “Man's Search for Meaning”. Frankl said,

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

 Have you been tested?
What did you learn about yourself?

Are you resourceful, resilient, and receptive to feedback?

Effective self-leaders have developed an awareness of their strengths and values, which feeds into creating a strong sense of self.

 Just before I turned 60, doctors found a large mass in my abdomen. They feared the worst and I was booked for surgery to remove it, and half of my bowel with it!

This happened during the pandemic, and so it was a scary experience but perhaps because I knew who I was, what I was capable of, and what was important to me, I was calm and composed.

The good news was that the mass was benign, and I could get on with my life as normal. The experience reminded me of who I am and what is important in my life.

I hope you don’t have to experience something like this to start reflecting on what’s important to you.

Is it health, family, experiences, or money, power, and recognition?

Tough times can reveal our strengths and show us what is important, but as important is to engage in self-reflection to uncover your true potential and redefine your identity, your authentic self.

Here are some self-coaching questions to get you started.

Who am I?
What is my story, up until now?
What am I good at?
What am I valued and loved for?
What do I value and love?
What will my story be, moving forward?