7 questions to end your week with
Many of us go through our entire lives as completely strangers, simply because we never pause long enough to examine ourselves. We are so busy looking for answers to others’ problems that we forget to ask questions for our own well-being. That is of course not wise.
After all, wisdom is not about knowing every answer every minute. It’s about asking the right questions. In the long run, the simple questions you ask yourself regularly determine the type of person you become.
At the very least, at the end of each week, you need to schedule a certain “me time” – a personal time-out for self-reflection and self-examination – to ask yourself questions like these:
- What pleasant surprises did I discover this week?
The dynamic nature of life constantly renews the possibilities in front of you. To be honest, you can never be sure when the next gust of wind is coming and what it is blowing in your direction. Open yourself to these surprises and pay attention to them. Many of them will bring goodness that you never knew you would be missing.
Some of your best discoveries are likely to come when you least expect them, in places you’ve never thought of. What you weren’t looking for may end up being more than you ever hoped to find. So search diligently for your goals and dreams, but don’t be so adamant that you’ll develop tunnel vision. Don’t be blinded by all the unpredictable wonders and opportunities that arise in your periphery.
They are never too old, too young, too busy, or too educated to find value and enjoyment in new, unexpected opportunities. So keep an eye out and keep an eye on these pleasant surprises. Be careful not to lose them in the rush of your weekly routines.
- What lessons have my work taught me to build on next week?
This question helps you clarify the distinction between activity and performance. There will always be routines and everyday tasks that require you to go through the movements, but what else have you derived from your work this week? What was learned and what could be built on? Certainly there were successes and failures – ideas that worked and those that wallowed. Think about these events and extract what is useful.
Watch your week from start to finish. It wasn’t a week of hanging around and doing nothing; It was a week when you had to do everything and now you have done it. Pat yourself on the back and then confirm the lessons of the week – especially the things that didn’t go your way. If you haven’t done a task the way you hoped, or a particular solution didn’t work, it just means that something better is waiting for you next week. And the lessons you’ve just learned are the first step in that direction. (Read crucial.)
- Are my short-term efforts and long-term goals still aligned?
It does not matter what you do or achieve from time to time (large picture), but what you do every day (small picture). Dream big dreams, but realize that short-term, realistic goals are the key to success. What you want to achieve is directly related to your daily actions. The way you spend your time defines who you are and who you will be.
Therefore, make sure that what you do (small picture) really matches the goal (large picture).
While the world’s entertainment junkies avoid pain and discomfort at all costs, you should be someone who truly understands the value and benefits of coping with the difficult situations that others normally avoid. Be ready to sacrifice short-term pleasure for long-term happiness. Are you more interested in something effective than something simple? While everyone else is looking for the fastest link, look for the way to get the actual results you want.
- What could I have done more or less?
As Stephen Covey once said, “Most of us spend too much time on what’s urgent and not enough time on what’s important.” In other words, productivity is not just about getting things done, it’s also about doing the right things.
At the end of each week, look at how you’ve spent your time and adjust the allocation as needed for the coming week. Do your best to remove the complexity of your schedule so you can spend more time on what’s important. This means fine-tuning and eliminating all but the essential tasks so that you only have those left that add value to your life. And most of all, know when to put aside the important things for vital things like family. (Read the power of habit.)
- How did fear and uncertainty affect what I did and what I didn’t?
Not knowing which way to go can be painful, but nothing is more daunting than standing still and making no decision at all. It is therefore important to think about your fears and address them weekly. You have to stop them so they don’t stop you from advancing your life.
So what should you do? Everything … something small … as long as you don’t just sit there. If you make a mistake, start over. Try something different. If you wait until you have satisfied all the uncertainties in your head, it may be too late.
The bottom line is that you gain strength, self-confidence, and emotional growth by going through any experience in which you are forced to stop and face fear. And when the duel is over and you find that you are still breathing, you have to say to yourself: “I have been through a period of uncertainty, I have learned from it and I am doing better. AND I am able to intimidate with the next To deal with circumstances that also get in my way. “
- What mental disorder can I remove?
Just as you don’t move from one place to another without first sorting your belongings and leaving behind what’s not useful or necessary, you should follow the same process with what you’ve gathered spiritually before proceeding. Rinse something and remove clutter. Do not carry excess baggage into the next week. Eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary shines brightly.
Throw away all of the regret, shame, and anger that you’ve accumulated this week, and only take the treasures worth preserving: the lessons, love, and the best of what you can remember.
One of the easiest ways to sort your mental clutter and decide what to discard is to do a simple brain dumping exercise where you put your emotions in a written diary or notepad. Literally think about this week’s great moments, make a list of how you felt at every opportunity, and then review your results. Eliminate the negative mess that lingers in your head by processing your thoughts, submitting the lessons, forgiving yourself, forgiving others, and letting go this week.
The bottom line is that you have to close the door to this week’s negatives, change the record, clean the house, and remove the mental dust and dirt. Don’t deny yourself a fair chance next week. Stop clinging to what was so that you can enjoy what’s starting now. (I discuss this in more detail in the “Simplicity” and “Success” chapters of 1,000 little things that make happy, successful people different.)
- What is the first logical step for next week?
Next week is a new beginning – a blank canvas on which you have the wonderful opportunity to create something. On Monday morning you are at the beginning of an impressive adventure with the very real and present opportunity to shape your present and future exactly as you see fit.
And as they say, a good start is half done …
It’s your turn…
What would you add to the list?
What questions do you ask yourself during moments of self-reflection?
Do you use other self-reflection methods (journaling, etc.)?
Please leave a comment below and let us know your findings.
