As far as we know, we human beings are the only creatures who
process self-consciousness. This is the ability to step back from
ourselves and reflect on the self and to learn from our reflection.
• When you are alone, what non-work related thinking do you really enjoy?
• What do you do for personal renewal?
• When you are stressed, angry, or anxious, what practices do you use to alter your consciousness or awareness?
• In the last year, what new discoveries have you made about yourself that in some way altered your previous self understanding?
• If you had to answer the question “Who am I really?” and you couldn’t talk about external appearances, skills you’ve acquired, relationships you have with others, or your work, what would you say?
• What do you do when you need inspiration or when you need to “spark” your own creativity. What is the process you use to evaluate yourself and your goals?
• In what personal growth and development endeavors are you currently involved and/or what have you tried in the recent past?
The “stuff” of intrapersonal intelligence is the the “stuff” of self-awareness, self reflection, and being in touch with the inner world of our individual being.
SelfSmart is probably the least understood of all of the eight intelligences, the least valued in our Western world, and often it is feared and considered to be dangerous.
Part of reason for this is that a great deal of the work of this intelligence occurs deep within the human psyche; therefore, we have no “external product” to show for this work and we are a product-driven society!
Another part of the problem is that the bias of all Western societies favors verbal/linguistic (WordSmart) and logical/mathematical (LogicSmart) intelligence – “If you can’t write about it, talk about it, and logically explain it to someone else”, it has no real value.” However some of our intrapersonal knowings can’t be adequately communicated in these ways.
We also tend to be afraid of this intelligence. Have you noticed how we often feel the need for some form of external stimulation to keep us entertained almost every waking hour? And how we hesitate taking the time to look deeply into the self, probably out of fear over what we might discover lurking behind the closed doors of our psyche?
The BENEFITS of awakening and developing your
SelfSmart are many and include at least
the following:
• You’ll gain clarity about your life and where you are headed.
• You’ll find you have improved self-confidence and self-esteem.
•
You’ll gain a deeper understanding of your core values and how to make them the center of all you do.
•
You’ll gain control of your destiny and the directions in which you want your life to move.
•
You’ll get in touch with your "inner self" and learn how to trust it.
Career Smarts
Examples of professionals who are strong in SelfSmart include therapists, psychologists, human potential researchers, philosophers, religious leaders (pastors, rabbis, priests), social workers, meditation guides, counselors, self-help advisors, cognitive pattern researchers,
and mental health professionals.
