Reflection: The mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it's not open.

You don't stop lifting because you grow old; you grow old only when you stop lifting!

A SOURCE OF POWER Experience might be our most valuable teacher. However, it differs from the teachers we had in school. We must educate ourselves. When we take a step back and think about it, we become that teacher. A potent tool for development and self-improvement is reflection.

Have you heard the story about an employee who had been in the same job for 20 years? Well, because they hadn't learned from their successes and failures, they basically ended up with "one year of experience, twenty times."!!

What an example indeed… because when you really think about it, reflection is how we turn one year of experience twenty times into a rich twenty-year adventure from which we go to higher and higher levels.

BENEFITS OF REFLECTION Let's look at a few advantages of reflection. You'll first become more conscious of yourself. Failure is a necessary component of learning, as many well-known mentors have said. To fail up, according to success coach Darren Hardy, is to grow from failure. Your setbacks serve as stepping stones on the path to achievement.

Failure generates brilliant ideas. Spending some time in thought enables you to discard failed ideas and come up with fresh ones that might succeed. Creativity Reflection is creativity, it improves perception and enables the brain to lay down new neural connections for future learning.

This brings to mind Edison, who failed 10,000 times before coming up with the light bulb. He is well known for saying "I didn't mess up. I recently discovered 10,000 ways that won't work."

Through self-reflection, you can obtain a greater understanding of your thoughts and feelings, and as a result, you will be able to visualise what you want to accomplish in life and how you want to go about it.

THE REFLECTION TOOL-KIT Here are some strategies you can use to get started: 

• Take time to reflect regularly. Set aside time each day to think about what you’ve learned, what went well, and what could be improved.
• Ask yourself meaningful questions. Questions like “What have I learned today?” or “What do I wish I had done differently?” can help to focus your thoughts and get the most out of your reflections.
• Record your reflections. Whether you prefer to keep a journal or use an app, writing down your reflections can help you to process and remember them more effectively.
• Talk to someone. Talking to a trusted friend or mentor about your reflections can help you to gain new insights and gain a different perspective.
• Take it one step further. After you have reflected and gained new insights, take action to make changes based on what you have learned.

Be better, be smarter, get in shape, and live your life to the absolute fullest!

DAILY APPLICATION Did you know that we could apply reflection to our day-to-day activities as well as our efforts to improve at work? We could use it to resolve conflict, reduce frustration, express opinions, and manage stress. It also aids in the process of establishing our personal and professional priorities and goals for the coming year.

Self-reflection is crucial because it enables you to improve as a person through time, achieve fulfillment, and make friends who will encourage and support you on your journey. Ultimately at the end of it all, you'd find self-satisfaction which is the end goal of self-reflection.

Consider adding reflection to your life's toolkit so that you can experience natural, lasting improvement, remembering that there is no "perfect" way to be successful and that everyone has their own unique path.