The People Builder

One of the most critical skills needed to navigate the complexity of our modern world is the ability to calm your frantic mind when you encounter negative experiences.

Hi, this is Grant Herbert, International Influencer and Sustainable Performance Coach and this week I want to continue our conversation by sharing the secrets of Emotional Resilience.

More often than not, you may feel overwhelmed and depleted, unable to think straight and direct creative energy towards problem solving and ideation.

You carry the emotional baggage from the last situation into the next, causing you to behave out of character and damaging your relationships.

You feel worn down, unable to cope, disillusioned and disengaged. I know this from my own personal journey and it destroys self confidence and makes it even harder to sustain your performance.

So, how do we shift this around and see some different results? We develop our Emotional Resilience.

Emotional Resilience builds your intrinsic motivation, allowing you to do what you do for the personal reward and not for the external one. It drives positive behaviour that produces exceptional results.

It’s an inner force, carrying you through the downtimes in life, providing strength to power through the storms.

Emotional Resilience is an art of living with self-belief, self-compassion and enhanced cognition, helping you to bounce back from stressful situations without it affecting your internal motivation.

When you have Emotional Resilience you perceive adversity as temporary and you constantly evolve through pain and trauma. You accept things as they really are, continuing to grow through them.

There are 3 key components that help or hinder your Emotional Resilience:

1. Cognition - this is the way you ‘think’ during a situation or event.

They say that “As a man, or woman, thinks, so they are”. Your thoughts breed beliefs and your beliefs guide who you become.

2. Perception - this is how you ‘analyse’ a situation and form conclusions about what it means and what will happen.

Your perception is your reality. Even if in reality it’s not true, you can make it true for you. How you deconstruct a situation will surely determine your next moves, if you move at all.

3. Action - your response to it.

It’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s what you do in that situation that will determine the outcome.

So how can we prepare for the situations that lie ahead of us?

Here are 5 areas to work on that will help you build your Emotional Resilience, so you can bounce through the stresses of life and be happier and healthier along the journey.

Number 1: Self- Awareness - this is having clarity around who you are, your strengths, your areas that need development, your thoughts, your beliefs, your feelings, your triggers, what motivates you and what depletes you.

Number 2: Perseverance - your ability to persist and be diligent in the face of adversity and set backs.

Number 3: Emotional Management - your ability to know what emotions you are feeling and why, understanding the thought processes you go through and the messages that are being sent to you from your body.

Number 4: Agile Mindset - this is a set of attitudes that support a flexible working environment. They include the ability to adapt and change, collaboration, taking ownership, delivering value and continuous improvement.

Number 5: Interpersonal Relationships - having strong interpersonal relationships is both a pre-requisite and a by product of Emotional Resilience. Doing the journey alongside people who have your back is priceless in today’s fast paced world.

There are many things we could add to the list however these are my top 5. What else would you add? I would love to see some thoughts below in the comments.

Over the next few weeks we will cover some of these in detail but for now, just flag them for reflection in your quiet time and assess where you are strong and what you need to work on. Drop some comments and questions in the comments below so I can scratch where you are itching as we continue this journey of incremental improvement together. I’m here to serve you so let me know what you need help with right now.

If this is helping you make some positive change, make sure you subscribe and share it with your friends. If you could do with a little more help, grab your copy of my eBook and video series “Stress Reduction Maximiser”.

Well, that’s it from me for another week. Join me again next week when we continue the conversation by unpacking the power of Social Resilience. See you then.

One of the most critical skills needed to navigate the complexity of our modern world is the ability to calm your frantic mind when you encounter negative experiences.

Hi, this is Grant Herbert, International Influencer and Sustainable Performance Coach and this week I want to continue our conversation by sharing the secrets of Emotional Resilience.

More often than not, you may feel overwhelmed and depleted, unable to think straight and direct creative energy towards problem solving and ideation.

You carry the emotional baggage from the last situation into the next, causing you to behave out of character and damaging your relationships.

You feel worn down, unable to cope, disillusioned and disengaged. I know this from my own personal journey and it destroys self confidence and makes it even harder to sustain your performance.

So, how do we shift this around and see some different results? We develop our Emotional Resilience.

Emotional Resilience builds your intrinsic motivation, allowing you to do what you do for the personal reward and not for the external one. It drives positive behaviour that produces exceptional results.

It’s an inner force, carrying you through the downtimes in life, providing strength to power through the storms.

Emotional Resilience is an art of living with self-belief, self-compassion and enhanced cognition, helping you to bounce back from stressful situations without it affecting your internal motivation.

When you have Emotional Resilience you perceive adversity as temporary and you constantly evolve through pain and trauma. You accept things as they really are, continuing to grow through them.

There are 3 key components that help or hinder your Emotional Resilience:

1. Cognition - this is the way you ‘think’ during a situation or event.

They say that “As a man, or woman, thinks, so they are”. Your thoughts breed beliefs and your beliefs guide who you become.

2. Perception - this is how you ‘analyse’ a situation and form conclusions about what it means and what will happen.

Your perception is your reality. Even if in reality it’s not true, you can make it true for you. How you deconstruct a situation will surely determine your next moves, if you move at all.

3. Action - your response to it.

It’s not what happens to you that matters, it’s what you do in that situation that will determine the outcome.

So how can we prepare for the situations that lie ahead of us?

Here are 5 areas to work on that will help you build your Emotional Resilience, so you can bounce through the stresses of life and be happier and healthier along the journey.

Number 1: Self- Awareness - this is having clarity around who you are, your strengths, your areas that need development, your thoughts, your beliefs, your feelings, your triggers, what motivates you and what depletes you.

Number 2: Perseverance - your ability to persist and be diligent in the face of adversity and set backs.

Number 3: Emotional Management - your ability to know what emotions you are feeling and why, understanding the thought processes you go through and the messages that are being sent to you from your body.

Number 4: Agile Mindset - this is a set of attitudes that support a flexible working environment. They include the ability to adapt and change, collaboration, taking ownership, delivering value and continuous improvement.

Number 5: Interpersonal Relationships - having strong interpersonal relationships is both a pre-requisite and a by product of Emotional Resilience. Doing the journey alongside people who have your back is priceless in today’s fast paced world.

There are many things we could add to the list however these are my top 5. What else would you add? I would love to see some thoughts below in the comments.

Over the next few weeks we will cover some of these in detail but for now, just flag them for reflection in your quiet time and assess where you are strong and what you need to work on. Drop some comments and questions in the comments below so I can scratch where you are itching as we continue this journey of incremental improvement together. I’m here to serve you so let me know what you need help with right now.

If this is helping you make some positive change, make sure you subscribe and share it with your friends. If you could do with a little more help, grab your copy of my eBook and video series “Stress Reduction Maximiser”.

Well, that’s it from me for another week. Join me again next week when we continue the conversation by unpacking the power of Social Resilience. See you then.

As we have been chatting about over the past couple of weeks, Resilience is basically the process of being able to “bounce back” and adapt well in the face of adversity, difficulties or trauma. It makes you stronger, and better able to handle the life challenges that will inevitably come your way.

Resilient people see challenges as opportunities for growth. They realise that while they can’t change what happened, they absolutely can decide how they will respond to it.

Hi, this is Grant Herbert, International Influencer and Sustainable Performance Coach, and today I want to continue our conversation by focusing in on the important topic of Mental Resilience.

We live in a vastly different world today to the one I grew up in. Everything moves at a much faster pace. Technology exacerbates the constancy and speed of change.

We all feel the need to be doing 6 things at once so we can get it all done. Our brain is working in overload as we switch from one thing to another.

It can lead to feelings of overwhelm, exhaustion, and sometimes even feeling helpless and powerless to overcome.

All this, coupled with financial, relational, health and social uncertainties, is taking a serious toll on your Mental Health.

It’s time to take stock and take back control!

Mental Resilience is your ability to sustain focus and attention, mental flexibility, and the capacity for integrating multiple points of view. It increases your capacity to perform in a sustainable way, getting more done with less conflict and stress.

So, how do we cultivate Mental Resilience?

Just like we have already discussed in our last few conversations, taking care of yourself physically is step number 1. Sleeping well, eating well, and looking after yourself physically, these are the foundations of resilience. If you haven’t been with me on the journey over the last few weeks, make sure you go back and check out those episodes as well.

It’s never about trying to make hard situations and uncomfortable feeling go away. It’s about taking a step back and looking at things objectively, putting them into perspective. When you are able to remove the fog and see things more clearly, you can then take more conscious, intentional action.

See challenges as an opportunity to grow. You cannot change what has happened but you can choose how it affects you and how you respond to it. Positive action gives you evidence that you have at least some control over a situation. When you are a part of the solution, your actions moving forward can and will make a difference.

Embrace the uncertainty of change as nothing is forever. Change is a normal part of life and the sooner you accept that, the more resilient you will become. Instead of trying to stop or resist the change, direct your energy on the aspects of the change that are in your control.

Speak well to yourself. Learn to catch yourself when your inner dialogue is spreading propaganda and trying to convince you that you are doomed and have lost any chance of control. Healthy self-talk is a key ingredient in Mental Resilience. Retrain your inner voice by reframing your negative thoughts into more empowering ones. Remind yourself that you are human and we all make mistakes, are continually learning and can get up, dust ourselves off and have another go.

Set incremental goals. Instead of looking at the overwhelming big picture, focus on the next step. To do this, ask yourself; “What is ‘one’ thing I can do right now to move forward?”. Breaking it down like this makes it seem surmountable and every little step not only move you closer to the overall objective, it builds self-confidence and self-belief which in turn makes you feel a sense of personal power over your life.

Stay connected and build strong alliances. Enjoying healthy relationships go a very long way towards developing resilience as resilient people look to their friends for help when they are navigating tough times in their journey. Having people that you trust in your corner, people who will fight alongside you and sit down and chat with you in these tough times, will help you feel more positive and hopeful about your situation.

Everyone of us have differing levels of mental toughness,  however no matter where you are on the resilience scale right now, cultivating your resiliency by practicing these techniques little by little will see your confidence, happiness and overall Mental Resilience increase.

Well, that’s it from me for another week, join me again next week when we continue the conversation around Emotional Resilience. 

As we have been chatting about over the past couple of weeks, Resilience is basically the process of being able to “bounce back” and adapt well in the face of adversity, difficulties or trauma. It makes you stronger, and better able to handle the life challenges that will inevitably come your way.

Resilient people see challenges as opportunities for growth. They realise that while they can’t change what happened, they absolutely can decide how they will respond to it.

Hi, this is Grant Herbert, International Influencer and Sustainable Performance Coach, and today I want to continue our conversation by focusing in on the important topic of Mental Resilience.

We live in a vastly different world today to the one I grew up in. Everything moves at a much faster pace. Technology exacerbates the constancy and speed of change.

We all feel the need to be doing 6 things at once so we can get it all done. Our brain is working in overload as we switch from one thing to another.

It can lead to feelings of overwhelm, exhaustion, and sometimes even feeling helpless and powerless to overcome.

All this, coupled with financial, relational, health and social uncertainties, is taking a serious toll on your Mental Health.

It’s time to take stock and take back control!

Mental Resilience is your ability to sustain focus and attention, mental flexibility, and the capacity for integrating multiple points of view. It increases your capacity to perform in a sustainable way, getting more done with less conflict and stress.

So, how do we cultivate Mental Resilience?

Just like we have already discussed in our last few conversations, taking care of yourself physically is step number 1. Sleeping well, eating well, and looking after yourself physically, these are the foundations of resilience. If you haven’t been with me on the journey over the last few weeks, make sure you go back and check out those episodes as well.

It’s never about trying to make hard situations and uncomfortable feeling go away. It’s about taking a step back and looking at things objectively, putting them into perspective. When you are able to remove the fog and see things more clearly, you can then take more conscious, intentional action.

See challenges as an opportunity to grow. You cannot change what has happened but you can choose how it affects you and how you respond to it. Positive action gives you evidence that you have at least some control over a situation. When you are a part of the solution, your actions moving forward can and will make a difference.

Embrace the uncertainty of change as nothing is forever. Change is a normal part of life and the sooner you accept that, the more resilient you will become. Instead of trying to stop or resist the change, direct your energy on the aspects of the change that are in your control.

Speak well to yourself. Learn to catch yourself when your inner dialogue is spreading propaganda and trying to convince you that you are doomed and have lost any chance of control. Healthy self-talk is a key ingredient in Mental Resilience. Retrain your inner voice by reframing your negative thoughts into more empowering ones. Remind yourself that you are human and we all make mistakes, are continually learning and can get up, dust ourselves off and have another go.

Set incremental goals. Instead of looking at the overwhelming big picture, focus on the next step. To do this, ask yourself; “What is ‘one’ thing I can do right now to move forward?”. Breaking it down like this makes it seem surmountable and every little step not only move you closer to the overall objective, it builds self-confidence and self-belief which in turn makes you feel a sense of personal power over your life.

Stay connected and build strong alliances. Enjoying healthy relationships go a very long way towards developing resilience as resilient people look to their friends for help when they are navigating tough times in their journey. Having people that you trust in your corner, people who will fight alongside you and sit down and chat with you in these tough times, will help you feel more positive and hopeful about your situation.

Everyone of us have differing levels of mental toughness,  however no matter where you are on the resilience scale right now, cultivating your resiliency by practicing these techniques little by little will see your confidence, happiness and overall Mental Resilience increase.

Well, that’s it from me for another week, join me again next week when we continue the conversation around Emotional Resilience. 

Our work can involve physical demands that can certainly take their toll; working long hours, working indoors, travel, doing repetitive tasks, heavy-lifting, a fast-paced environment, sitting at a computer for long periods of time…the list goes on.

All of these things require varying levels of physical resilience, not just so that you can get through the day, but also so that you can feel that the work we do is truly valuable. It’s important to keep a close eye on signs of fatigue and make shifts in your environment and work conditions as needed so that your quality of life is not negatively impacted.

Hi, this is Grant Herbert, International Influencer and Sustainable Performance Coach, and this week I want to have a conversation with you around Physical Resilience.

Physical Resilience is your ability to respond to physical stress, specifically, stress that acutely disrupts normal physiological homeostasis. It is the ability to quickly resolve unexpected or unusual environmental, medical or clinical challenges.

Physical Resilience can cause stress which creates various side effects to your health, which differ with every individual’s situation and environment.

Vibrant health can remain elusive until you take the time to pay attention and listen to your body. The body knows what is good for it and what is not.

This past week, I myself have had to really take stock of what I have been putting my body through lately. Several overseas trips, changing time zones, inadequate sleep patterns, sitting in planes and airport lounges, all these things have left me feeling a little worse for wear.

Right now I am sitting in my hotel in beautiful San Diego, California, waiting to go to the airport for a long journey back to Sydney. I’m tired, my body hurts, and to be honest, even though I cannot wait to get home to my family, I am not looking forward to what’s ahead over the next 24 hours.

So this morning, before I did anything else, I went for a long walk around the city and the bay to move my body and get my 10,000 steps before breakfast.

That’s enough about me, let’s have a chat about you.

Physical resilience is allowing your body to be fit and adapt to stress and the challenges in your life.

There are so many ways for Physical Resilience to be developed and you must choose the correct path for you; but it may be – long walks, power walking, running, classes in the gym, any sport or some action to both improve and strengthen our cardiovascular system to get the oxygen and nutrients into your muscles which is proven to give you more energy.

What can you do to ensure you maintain your Physical Resilience? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

- Sleeping well is necessary to respond to the physical stress. If you missed my episode on Sleep a few weeks ago, take the time to go back and check it out.

- Exercise improves blood flow and oxygen levels in the brain, it also encourages the release of the brain chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. They are referred to as “the happy pill!”

- There are many benefits of practicing yoga, pilates, meditation and mindfulness.  All your attention is focussed which allows you to observe your body’s reaction as well as your thoughts to gain control and accept positive thoughts. Working on some form of mindfulness first thing in the morning can alleviate stress in your body and if practiced at night can help with a good nights’ sleep.

- Being involved in sports and fitness is fun, social, inspiring, challenging, and for the most part – really good for us. Being mindful of your body and keeping control on a competitive nature is vitally important here though or you can do more harm than good. I know from experience with this one. 

- The body must have adequate nutrition and the functional capability to utilise that nutrition; as well the body must excel in eliminating waste. Eating well is therefore extremely important in the Physical Resilience equation.

We humans are complicated so for you to get through those tough physical or strenuous times, physically resilient people possess self-regulation, adaptability, positivity, and control.

It’s not always about peak performance or competition, it’s simply the importance of challenging yourself physically whenever possible; it’s simply exhilarating to do something you just didn’t know you could.

Finally, you need to consider the mind-body connection to your Physical Resilience beyond your medical, physical or nutritional needs. There are social, psychological and even spiritual factors that regularly impact your Physical Resilience. 

Well that’s it from me for this week. Join me again next week as we continue the conversation by going deeper on Mental Resilience.

Our work can involve physical demands that can certainly take their toll; working long hours, working indoors, travel, doing repetitive tasks, heavy-lifting, a fast-paced environment, sitting at a computer for long periods of time…the list goes on.

All of these things require varying levels of physical resilience, not just so that you can get through the day, but also so that you can feel that the work we do is truly valuable. It’s important to keep a close eye on signs of fatigue and make shifts in your environment and work conditions as needed so that your quality of life is not negatively impacted.

Hi, this is Grant Herbert, International Influencer and Sustainable Performance Coach, and this week I want to have a conversation with you around Physical Resilience.

Physical Resilience is your ability to respond to physical stress, specifically, stress that acutely disrupts normal physiological homeostasis. It is the ability to quickly resolve unexpected or unusual environmental, medical or clinical challenges.

Physical Resilience can cause stress which creates various side effects to your health, which differ with every individual’s situation and environment.

Vibrant health can remain elusive until you take the time to pay attention and listen to your body. The body knows what is good for it and what is not.

This past week, I myself have had to really take stock of what I have been putting my body through lately. Several overseas trips, changing time zones, inadequate sleep patterns, sitting in planes and airport lounges, all these things have left me feeling a little worse for wear.

Right now I am sitting in my hotel in beautiful San Diego, California, waiting to go to the airport for a long journey back to Sydney. I’m tired, my body hurts, and to be honest, even though I cannot wait to get home to my family, I am not looking forward to what’s ahead over the next 24 hours.

So this morning, before I did anything else, I went for a long walk around the city and the bay to move my body and get my 10,000 steps before breakfast.

That’s enough about me, let’s have a chat about you.

Physical resilience is allowing your body to be fit and adapt to stress and the challenges in your life.

There are so many ways for Physical Resilience to be developed and you must choose the correct path for you; but it may be – long walks, power walking, running, classes in the gym, any sport or some action to both improve and strengthen our cardiovascular system to get the oxygen and nutrients into your muscles which is proven to give you more energy.

What can you do to ensure you maintain your Physical Resilience? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

- Sleeping well is necessary to respond to the physical stress. If you missed my episode on Sleep a few weeks ago, take the time to go back and check it out.

- Exercise improves blood flow and oxygen levels in the brain, it also encourages the release of the brain chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. They are referred to as “the happy pill!”

- There are many benefits of practicing yoga, pilates, meditation and mindfulness.  All your attention is focussed which allows you to observe your body’s reaction as well as your thoughts to gain control and accept positive thoughts. Working on some form of mindfulness first thing in the morning can alleviate stress in your body and if practiced at night can help with a good nights’ sleep.

- Being involved in sports and fitness is fun, social, inspiring, challenging, and for the most part – really good for us. Being mindful of your body and keeping control on a competitive nature is vitally important here though or you can do more harm than good. I know from experience with this one. 

- The body must have adequate nutrition and the functional capability to utilise that nutrition; as well the body must excel in eliminating waste. Eating well is therefore extremely important in the Physical Resilience equation.

We humans are complicated so for you to get through those tough physical or strenuous times, physically resilient people possess self-regulation, adaptability, positivity, and control.

It’s not always about peak performance or competition, it’s simply the importance of challenging yourself physically whenever possible; it’s simply exhilarating to do something you just didn’t know you could.

Finally, you need to consider the mind-body connection to your Physical Resilience beyond your medical, physical or nutritional needs. There are social, psychological and even spiritual factors that regularly impact your Physical Resilience. 

Well that’s it from me for this week. Join me again next week as we continue the conversation by going deeper on Mental Resilience.

When something doesn’t go so well in your world, do you tend to bounce back or fall apart?

You can navigate change and bounce back from adversity by learning skills and strategies to become more resilient.

Resilience is all about you harnessing the inner strength to help you rebound from setback or challenge. When you lack resilience, you might dwell on problems, feel like a victim, become overwhelmed or turn to unhealthy coping strategies…

Let’s be clear here, Resilience won't make your problems go away but resilience can give you the ability to see beyond them, find more enjoyment in life and better handle your stress. If you aren't as resilient as you'd like to be, you can develop skills to become more resilient…

There are many roadblocks that stand in the way of resilience that you need to become aware of before you add new skills. Let’s take a look at some of them and see what rings true for you.

Unhealthy habits, mindsets, thoughts, self-talk and behaviour. They all get in the way.

Having a low level of emotional understanding and not being able to respond to events in a healthy way.

This can all leave you vulnerable to distress and burnout.

Resilience can help protect you from various mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. Resilience can also help offset factors that increase the risk of mental health conditions, such as being bullied or previous trauma. If you have an existing mental health condition, being resilient can improve your ability to cope. By the way, please seek help from your health professional before employing any strategies that you hear from me.

Here are some of the results that you can have when you overcome the roadblocks.

- You can go from unhealthy habits to exercising self-care

- You see things as they really are, keeping them in perspective.

- You become more able to change direction without breaking

Resilience is the ability to roll with the punches.

In fact, being able to reach out to others for support is a key component of being resilient.

Let’s unpack what it takes to be resilient and then chat about some things that have helped me personally go from stressed to strong.

Resilience is perseverance and diligence in the face of setbacks and there are 5 crucial ingredients to becoming more resilient.

Let’s take a look at these ingredients and set an intention for where we are going to go over the next few weeks.

Number 1 is Getting More Clarity

Number 2 is Taking Care of yourself

Number 3 is Building your Confidence

Number 4 is Staying in Control and

number 5 is maintaining strong Connections.

So where do you see yourself on the RESILIENCE scale? Is this something you could benefit from working on? I would love to read your thoughts and questions in the comments below.

So that’s it for another week. Over the coming weeks we will continue the conversation around resilience and go deeper on the 5 crucial ingredients. See you then!

When something doesn’t go so well in your world, do you tend to bounce back or fall apart?

You can navigate change and bounce back from adversity by learning skills and strategies to become more resilient.

Resilience is all about you harnessing the inner strength to help you rebound from setback or challenge. When you lack resilience, you might dwell on problems, feel like a victim, become overwhelmed or turn to unhealthy coping strategies…

Let’s be clear here, Resilience won't make your problems go away but resilience can give you the ability to see beyond them, find more enjoyment in life and better handle your stress. If you aren't as resilient as you'd like to be, you can develop skills to become more resilient…

There are many roadblocks that stand in the way of resilience that you need to become aware of before you add new skills. Let’s take a look at some of them and see what rings true for you.

Unhealthy habits, mindsets, thoughts, self-talk and behaviour. They all get in the way.

Having a low level of emotional understanding and not being able to respond to events in a healthy way.

This can all leave you vulnerable to distress and burnout.

Resilience can help protect you from various mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. Resilience can also help offset factors that increase the risk of mental health conditions, such as being bullied or previous trauma. If you have an existing mental health condition, being resilient can improve your ability to cope. By the way, please seek help from your health professional before employing any strategies that you hear from me.

Here are some of the results that you can have when you overcome the roadblocks.

- You can go from unhealthy habits to exercising self-care

- You see things as they really are, keeping them in perspective.

- You become more able to change direction without breaking

Resilience is the ability to roll with the punches.

In fact, being able to reach out to others for support is a key component of being resilient.

Let’s unpack what it takes to be resilient and then chat about some things that have helped me personally go from stressed to strong.

Resilience is perseverance and diligence in the face of setbacks and there are 5 crucial ingredients to becoming more resilient.

Let’s take a look at these ingredients and set an intention for where we are going to go over the next few weeks.

Number 1 is Getting More Clarity

Number 2 is Taking Care of yourself

Number 3 is Building your Confidence

Number 4 is Staying in Control and

number 5 is maintaining strong Connections.

So where do you see yourself on the RESILIENCE scale? Is this something you could benefit from working on? I would love to read your thoughts and questions in the comments below.

So that’s it for another week. Over the coming weeks we will continue the conversation around resilience and go deeper on the 5 crucial ingredients. See you then!

Do you ever ask yourself “Why am I thinking this way?” or “Why am I behaving this way?” I know I do. There is so much empowerment in knowing the answer to these questions.

Hi this is Grant Herbert, International Influencer and Sustainable Performance Coach, and today’s I want to have a conversation with you around the invaluable competency of ‘Self Awareness’.

There have been many times in my career where I was confused about the things I was saying or doing, and how the way I saw myself was constantly different to the perception of others.

My lack of understanding caused me, and those who I worked with, a lot of pain and suffering. My inability to see the signs, oblivious to what was really going on with my inner game, made it feel like driving down the road at night with my lights off.

Navigating in the dark creates collisions and conflict, but knowing why is the key ingredient in any form of change and it takes a higher level of Self Awareness.

Self Awareness will empower you to recognise and understand the links between what you believe, your thoughts, self-talk and what you say and do. It removes the confusion and creates clarity and certainty.

So what is Self Awareness? 

The Oxford Dictionary defines it as “Conscious knowledge of one's own character and feelings” and you receive many benefits in your career, and every area of your life, when you develop these skills for yourself.

When you see the signs you can make the adjustments you need to bring your thoughts and behaviour back on track so you can achieve the results you want. It gives you a start point for positive growth and change with a roadmap to follow, allowing you to navigate with confidence.

Self Awareness is knowing your internal states, your preferences, your resources and intuitions. It brings the inside out, shining the light on you strengths and shortcomings.

So how do you increase your current level of Self Awareness? Let’s unpack 3 big ideas around this that have helped me, and the thousands of others I have had the privilege of working with in this area. 

Number 1: Invest in your own self reflection - You know you better than anyone else so take charge and ask yourself the difficult questions.

Just like any medical condition, diagnosis is critical before you can make the changes you need to get back to full health. Make Self Awareness a priority, allowing space for forward focussed reflection throughout the day. It may help you to journal your thoughts so you can notice when certain things are more likely to surface or what people trigger your unhealthy thoughts and behaviours. Recognise patterns in your thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. Call yourself out when you see yourself indulging in negative self talk that can spiral into emotionally charged reactions.

Number 2: Be open to feedback - Every one of us has ‘Blind Spots’, things we cannot or will not see in ourselves that stands out in a spotlight for others. Self Awareness is a process that involves others, trusting them, being vulnerable and teachable, recognising that what they see is their perception of reality. Listen to learn, suspending judgement and the need to defend. It’s a bit like my mum making me take a large spoonful of castor oil each day when I was a kid. It tasted terrible but it was good for my inner health. Asking others for feedback is a bit like that. It may not feel good at the time but it’s good for you, and the people around you.

Number 3: Use what you learn - Awareness without action is pointless. In fact, it can be even more frustrating to know things about yourself and do nothing with it. The only value you receive from your newfound level of Self Awareness comes in making the change it illuminates for you. Set an intention to make incremental change over the long term, avoiding band aid fixes that never last. Get some people around you who can give you the support and accountability you need to make it happen. A family member, a colleague or even a coach like me. Someone who cares about you and wants you to succeed. Self Awareness is not a one time deal, it’s something you have to condition yourself to walk in every day.

People who have Self Awareness are emotionally aware, they accurately assess their abilities and they have a strong sense of self-worth. This translates into more satisfying relationships and a career where you have more influence, make a bigger impact and receive a higher income. It’s time to become more aware!

So that’s it from me for another week. Next week we are celebrating Mental Health Week by kicking off a series on Resilience. See you then.

Do you ever ask yourself “Why am I thinking this way?” or “Why am I behaving this way?” I know I do. There is so much empowerment in knowing the answer to these questions.

Hi this is Grant Herbert, International Influencer and Sustainable Performance Coach, and today’s I want to have a conversation with you around the invaluable competency of ‘Self Awareness’.

There have been many times in my career where I was confused about the things I was saying or doing, and how the way I saw myself was constantly different to the perception of others.

My lack of understanding caused me, and those who I worked with, a lot of pain and suffering. My inability to see the signs, oblivious to what was really going on with my inner game, made it feel like driving down the road at night with my lights off.

Navigating in the dark creates collisions and conflict, but knowing why is the key ingredient in any form of change and it takes a higher level of Self Awareness.

Self Awareness will empower you to recognise and understand the links between what you believe, your thoughts, self-talk and what you say and do. It removes the confusion and creates clarity and certainty.

So what is Self Awareness? 

The Oxford Dictionary defines it as “Conscious knowledge of one's own character and feelings” and you receive many benefits in your career, and every area of your life, when you develop these skills for yourself.

When you see the signs you can make the adjustments you need to bring your thoughts and behaviour back on track so you can achieve the results you want. It gives you a start point for positive growth and change with a roadmap to follow, allowing you to navigate with confidence.

Self Awareness is knowing your internal states, your preferences, your resources and intuitions. It brings the inside out, shining the light on you strengths and shortcomings.

So how do you increase your current level of Self Awareness? Let’s unpack 3 big ideas around this that have helped me, and the thousands of others I have had the privilege of working with in this area. 

Number 1: Invest in your own self reflection - You know you better than anyone else so take charge and ask yourself the difficult questions.

Just like any medical condition, diagnosis is critical before you can make the changes you need to get back to full health. Make Self Awareness a priority, allowing space for forward focussed reflection throughout the day. It may help you to journal your thoughts so you can notice when certain things are more likely to surface or what people trigger your unhealthy thoughts and behaviours. Recognise patterns in your thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. Call yourself out when you see yourself indulging in negative self talk that can spiral into emotionally charged reactions.

Number 2: Be open to feedback - Every one of us has ‘Blind Spots’, things we cannot or will not see in ourselves that stands out in a spotlight for others. Self Awareness is a process that involves others, trusting them, being vulnerable and teachable, recognising that what they see is their perception of reality. Listen to learn, suspending judgement and the need to defend. It’s a bit like my mum making me take a large spoonful of castor oil each day when I was a kid. It tasted terrible but it was good for my inner health. Asking others for feedback is a bit like that. It may not feel good at the time but it’s good for you, and the people around you.

Number 3: Use what you learn - Awareness without action is pointless. In fact, it can be even more frustrating to know things about yourself and do nothing with it. The only value you receive from your newfound level of Self Awareness comes in making the change it illuminates for you. Set an intention to make incremental change over the long term, avoiding band aid fixes that never last. Get some people around you who can give you the support and accountability you need to make it happen. A family member, a colleague or even a coach like me. Someone who cares about you and wants you to succeed. Self Awareness is not a one time deal, it’s something you have to condition yourself to walk in every day.

People who have Self Awareness are emotionally aware, they accurately assess their abilities and they have a strong sense of self-worth. This translates into more satisfying relationships and a career where you have more influence, make a bigger impact and receive a higher income. It’s time to become more aware!

So that’s it from me for another week. Next week we are celebrating Mental Health Week by kicking off a series on Resilience. See you then.