Self Introspection and Journaling

Recently, I read a book “The Mastery Manual” written by my favorite self-help guru Robin Sharma. Like all other books by Robin, this book too gives very interesting insights on living a beautiful life with utmost simplicity. This book puts lots of emphasis on the importance of self-introspection and journaling for living a better life. We all know that most human beings postpone living. We say that we will live our best lives when we have more time or when we are free from our pressing jobs, projects and activities we are involved in. We tell those around us that we will be more loving and passionate when things slow down. We promise ourselves that we will get into world-class physical condition and eat healthier food when we have a little bit more time. We know deep within ourselves that there will never be a better time to live our biggest life than now. We keep postponing as we all struggle with the question, where do we start? I thought a good starting point would be to put all the journaling questions suggested by Robin in this book together so that one can introspect and answer these questions. These are a mix of introspecting, life auditing and planning questions, which if answered sincerely will provoke few thoughts and provide clarity as well as awareness about one-self. With better clarity and awareness one will always set a plan of action at least for few of the questions which one feels relevant to one's life. Here are the questions, broken into different sections: 

  

Model for Success

What would you look like if you were operating in your most authentic form and living the highest version of your highest vision?

What has been the value of your most painful experiences and how would your life be less if you had not had the benefit of them?

What would you be willing to die for?

What lessons are you most resisting in your life right now?

Who on the planet is living the life you dream of living and what is it about their life that speaks to you so deeply?

Be world class performer

If there was one word I would want my life to stand for, what would that one word be?

What will I no longer tolerate in my life?

If there was one thing I could change in my life to lift it to its highest level, what would that one thing be?

What has been the biggest turning point of my life and how has it served me by helping me become the person that I currently am?

If I have 30 days left to live, what would I do?

Be a life-long learner

What would the child you once were think of the adult you have become?

How old would you be if you did not know how old you were?

What three things you could do over the next 30 days to raise your life to its next level of excellence and festivity (and what is preventing you from doing them)?

What would you want your life to look like, in every area (career, personal, spiritual) 24 months from now?

What 5 things makes you happiest in life?

Your associations

What are the three biggest barriers keeping you from creating the life you want?

What are the three main things that drain your energy and keep you from living your best life?

What are the three risks you need to take that you have been resisting?

What are the five most important things you learned from last year?

What five words will stand for what you want to make of your life?

Your heroes

What is the best book you have ever read and why it is best?

What are you three largest fears and how have they limited you over the years of your life?

What do you want your life to stand for?

On a piece of paper, list the 10 organizing principles that you commit to living the rest of your life?

Lessons from leadership

If you had only five minutes left to live, who would you call and what would you say?

If you could have dinner with five people on the planet today, who would they be and why would you connect with them?

What one thing could you do that if you did it on daily basis, your life would rise to a next level?

Of all your relationships which one would benefit by you being more caring, compassionate and thoughtful?

What daily act could you do to make the world a better place?

Fearlessness

What are you most resisting in your life at this moment?

What could I fill my life with greater sense of curiosity and wonder?

As I live my days, do I curse the darkness or am I a person that lights the candle?

Happiness

What needs to happen, between now and the end of your lifetime, for you to feel that it was truly successful?

List the 25 things that make you happiest in your life (and then rededicate yourself to doing them more often to increase your internal levels of happiness and fulfillment)?

Re-invent

What do you want to grow in your life?

If you were asked to describe yourself in one paragraph, what would that paragraph say?

What frustrates you the most in your life and what could you do to eliminate this frustration?

Are you good

If you could have five famous friends, who would they be?

Who do you admire most in your life and why?

What does excellence look like in your life?

What three things you could do to be a more loving person?

What five things will likely happen if you do not get into excellent physical condition?

Renewal

Am I playing the highest game as a human being?

Am I confronting my resistances and walking towards my fears?

Am I living my life or am I living a life that those around me wish me to live?

What needs to happen between now and the end of the year for me to feel that I am a success?

What are the three most important things in my life and am I focusing on these?

Always Play Big

What has been the defining moment of your life and how did it serve to shape, sculpt and develop you?

What is the single best lesson life has taught you?

What does greatness look like in your life?

If an 18 year old asked for your finest advice on life success, what would you tell her?

How would you feel at the end of your life if you do not make the changes you know you need to make?

Thank you for reading through the questions listed above. Now spend some time answering these question. This is best done if you one can write it down as writing down will make you think and also helps you to review periodically on how are you changing your life and reaching closer to the life you desire to live. Remember small daily improvements leads to giant success over time. Wish you all very a happy and joyful life ahead. Always be passionate and persistent in what you do.

Source: The Mastery Manual by Robin Sharma