16 Apr What I Don’t Know
I had the pleasure of reporting for jury duty this past week. I took a book and a positive attitude to prepare for the day. (My positive attitude about the possibility of learning something new actually makes all the difference in how my day turns out.)
Anyway, in order to weed out potential jurors, we were asked to fill out a questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of about 100 questions and were, for the most part, straight forward. Do you know the defendant? Do you know the District Attorney? Are you familiar with the case? My answers didn’t take much time until one question caused me to pause. That question? Are you able to know if someone is telling the truth?
Now, before I started my journey of self-development, the answer to that was a resounding YES. I believed I could listen to a person and tell you everything about them. I would also know if they believed in what they were saying and if it was accurate. However, over the last 10 years, my personal journey has changed my answer to that question.
The answer I wrote on the questionnaire was, “NO. I am not a lie detector. I will give you my honest perspective based on experience and the testimony.”
That question left me thinking long after I answered it though. Although I was honest on the questionnaire, how often did I really follow that philosophy? Where in my life am I clinging to what I know is true without really knowing? Where in my life am I shutting myself down to other possibilities by focusing on my opinion rather than realizing it’s just my current perspective? After all, being open to changing my perspective is where true growth occurs.
I have learned to appreciate these occasional glances in the mirror. These awarenesses are the first, and most crucial, step to lasting change. I will be unable to change my approach if I am not aware of how I am playing the game. I am far from perfect, and I don’t aspire to be perfect. My goal is simply to be better than I was yesterday. For me, it starts with knowing that I don’t know.
~Dominic Oaxaca
What else can you learn about yourself? Where is the growth for you? If you are ready to look at the answers to these questions, let’s set up a call and explore. It’s free. Email Barb at barb@high5leadership.com to set it up!