Foundation 2_Personal Application_2023
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PERSONAL REFLECTION: Foundational Principles
Reflecting on Your Learning
1.
Blaise Pascal, a French philosopher, mathematician, scientist, and inventor, said this: “The power of a man’s virtue should not be measured by his special efforts but by his ordinary doing.”
In the context of this 7 Habits course, what does this mean to you? If you were to take your “measure” today, what would your “ordinary doing” reveal about you?
I think this quite by Blaise Pascal means someone’s virtues shouldn’t be proven with the big things they do in the public eye, but it should be the things done when no one is watching, or they believe no one is watching. A lot of people tend to put on a “show” for the public by doing great things in the public eye but behind closed doors they aren’t normally the same way. Someone’s virtues should be measured by how the individual acts when no one is watching. If I were to take my own measure, I’m not incredibly sure what it would show about me. I try to be a good person even when I don’t think anyone is watching. However, I also tend to just mind my own when I’m out in public. Which could be a good or bad thing depending on who you ask. I speak when I’m spoken to, but I don’t seek out conversations with those around me. I also tend to turn a blind eye in public unless it directly affects me or unless someone is in harms way. If someone is being hurt or injures themselves I have stepped in to help where I can. Social Mirror
We hear a lot today about identity theft. The greatest identity theft is not when someone takes
your wallet or steals your credit card. The greater theft happens when we forget who we really are, when we begin to believe that our worth and identity come from how well we stack up compared to others, instead of recognizing that each of us has immeasurable worth, and potential, independent of any comparison. This kind of theft comes from being immersed in a culture of shortcuts where people are unwilling to pay the price for true success. In our families, among friends, at work, we are constantly in the service of an artificial self-image. When man found the mirror, he began to lose his soul. He became more concerned with this image than with his true self; he became a product of the social mirror. His center of identity and worth moved outside of himself. -Stephen R. Covey
2.
In this quote, Stephen Covey describes the social mirror and the negative impact it has on people. What is your response to Covey’s statement? What do you understand about the social mirror after reading this?
I think Stephen Covey nailed it when he made this statement. When I think of the social mirror my understanding of it is that we view ourselves the way others view us. If someone says that I am too loud and annoying, then I will begin to believe that to be true and view myself as loud and annoying. When Covey says
“When man found the mirror, he began to lose his soul.” It made me think of how a person started to lose their true self and who they genuinely are just because of what others may say about them. This person could have amazing qualities such as being funny but if someone says they are annoying then this person will begin to retreat and stop being so funny by not talking as much anymore. This will causes them to lose one of their good qualities due to the social mirror.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Foundational Principles
3.
Now consider the social mirror and its effects. How has the social mirror impacted your sense of self? How can learning about the social mirror change the way you see yourself?
I feel like I do a really good job at not allowing the opinion of others affect my sense of self. However back in
middle school and high school I definitely see that the social mirror had impacted my sense of self. It even got
so bad and affected me so negatively to the point of being admitted into the hospital for an attempt of taking my life. Learning about the social mirror can actually help the way you see yourself by understanding the negatives that can occur if your impacted by it. By learning about it you can find ways to not allow yourself to
fall victim to it. Developing Self-Leadership Skills
Growth Mindset
•
You can define achievable, meaningful goals.
•
You handle challenges and conflict with resiliency.
•
You see setbacks as opportunities to grow and change.
•
You take responsibility for the choices you make. Watch the video on the assignment page
to learn about the differences between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. These mindsets represent different paradigms you have about yourself and your abilities.
4.
What are two (2) specific
paradigms you have about yourself? Do these paradigms represent a growth mindset or a fixed mindset?
One paradigm I have about myself is that I am capable of graduating with my bachelors in elementary education. This would be a growth mindset because it is a goal that I can achieve even though I know it will be difficult especially with having a baby in the middle of the process. Another paradigm I have about myself is that i am unable to learn a different language. This would be a fixed mindset because I don’t feel like I am capable of learning another language because I believe it is too difficult
and some people can learn new languages easily and others can’t. 5.
Identify specific ways your self-perception affects your goals and your ability to lead your life. I am very 50/50 when it comes to believing in myself to complete my goals. There are times where I believe I
can do it and I can get through anything and then there are times where I feel more discouraged and believe that I can’t do it for one reason or another. I know when I was younger, I had a teacher congratulate everyone next to me and she would say “I knew you could do it” but when she got to me she said “I didn’t think you could do it” This comment bothered me for years and made me feel like no one would believe in me so why should I believe in myself. It wasn’t until I got into college that I started to believe I can do it and I can achieve my goals. 6.
How does your mindset affect the choices you make each day? Similar to the last question, my mindset tends to change day by day. Sometimes I am a lot more optimistic and believe I am able to do anything and other times I am much more pessimistic. I definitely believe this is due to my anxiety that I have. On the days I feel more optimistic and have more of a growth mindset I tend to have much more productive days by going out and get shopping done, cleaning the house, or getting ahead in
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Foundational Principles
my classes. On the days I have more of that fixed mindset I stay home and I usually don’t get much done. I may do a little cleaning but not as much as I would on the other days. 7.
Do your choices reflect the person you want to be? a.
What should you continue doing? I should continue to believe that I can do it and be successful. When I have a strong growth mindset I can be unstoppable and I can achieve a lot! I need to continue to tell myself that I can do it.
b.
What changes should you make? One way I feel like I could make some changes would be by waking up each morning telling myself positive things. I know that when I am on a good sleep schedule, and I wake up early I tend to be a lot more open minded. So, this is something that I should really try to implement much more frequently. 8.
What can you do to cultivate a growth mindset? I can cultivate a growth mindset by not allowing the challenges or the failures to affect my mindset. Instead of
allowing the failures to affect my mindset I should look at it as a learning experiences. For example, if I am learning how to cook a new meal and I burn it I shouldn’t let that discourage me from ever making new meals. I should change the way I cook it the next time by lowering the heat and checking on it more frequently to ensure it doesn’t burn. Understanding Different Perspectives
In the Roots of Effectiveness video, Stephen Covey explains two different approaches to self-improvement. He describes these as the Character Ethic
and the Personality Ethic
. It might be difficult to understand exactly what Covey means when he uses the word ethic.
Susan Cain, in her book
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
, also talks about the differences between these two approaches and how they have affected American society over the past couple of centuries. She describes them as a Culture of Character
and a
Culture of Personality
.
Character Ethic
In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
,
Stephen Covey explains, “The Character Ethic
taught that there are basic principles of effective living, and that people can only experience true success and enduring happiness as they learn and integrate these principles in their basic character.”
In other words, the Culture of Character
encourages people to view themselves from the Inside-Out.
People focus on developing lasting character traits and acting in ways consistent with their character. This perspective focuses on being the person YOU
want to be and becoming your best self. Another way to look at this is to use the analogy of the trees—the character ethic focuses on strengthening the roots so the tree will be strong and thrive for years to come. Focusing on the roots is the Inside-Out approach—what's unseen is more important than
what people see.
Personality Ethic
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PERSONAL REFLECTION: Foundational Principles
Covey describes how the Personality Ethic
is different: “Success became more a function of personality, of public image, of attitudes and behaviors, skills and techniques, that lubricate the processes of human interaction.”
He goes on to explain how some “techniques” associated with this approach can be manipulative and deceptive.
The Personality Culture
encourages people to define themselves from the Outside-In.
This can lead to people becoming hyper-sensitive about their public image and the opinions and expectations of others as they interact with them and seek their approval. This ethic focuses on being the kind of person people want you to be and changing the way you present yourself to win them over. Using the analogy of the trees--the personality ethic focuses on how good the tree looks now without thinking about the long term. This is an example of the Outside-
In approach--what people see is everything.
9.
Answer the questions in the table below about the basic differences between these two paradigms. Mark your answers with an X in the appropriate column
Character
Ethic
Personality
Ethic
Which ethic focuses on developing traits based on timeless principles?
x
Which ethic focuses on assuming appearances based on changing values?
x
Which culture values being
good by your own standard?
x
Which culture values looking
good according to expectations of others?
x
10.
Which ethic contributes to a healthy sense of self? Why?
Character ethic contributes to a healthy sense of self because this is about being the person that you want to be
and it’s not about what others want you to be. Instead of wanting to be a certain way to please others, like personality ethic, you focus on wanting to make yourself be the way you want to be seen. 11.
What do you understand about the differences between defining yourself from the Inside-Out or defining yourself from the Outside-In? Which of these influences you and your sense of self more? The differences to me is that the inside-out meaning is based on wanting to look a certain way to please yourself as where outside in is dependent on wanting to look a certain way to please others. If I want to be a funnier person, I will try to make that change within myself. If I want other people to find me funnier then I would make that change just because I want other people to see me this way, not because I genuinely want to be funnier. I would say defining yourself from the inside out influences your sense of self a lot more because if you feel strongly about a characteristic of yourself then nothing anyone can say will make you feel differently about it. However, in today’s world we are overpowered by social media which can have a huge impact on our sense of self and a lot of us want to be a certain way because that’s what is considered “cool”. 12.
Which paradigm—Inside-Out or Outside-In—encourages you to lead your own life? Why?
At this stage in my life, I would say inside out encourages me to lead my own life. As I get older, I tend to focus more on the kind of person I want to be and what will make me most happy with myself. I feel like if I am happy with the person that I am then that is all that matters because at the end of the day I am the one living in my own body.