How to Make Reflection a Daily Habit

Leaders know themselves. And that requires reflection.

Echo and Narcissus by John William Waterhouse, 1903 (Wikipedia - public domain)

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” — Søren Kierkegaard

With the new year upon us, it seems like everyone is trying to put 2020 in the rear-view mirror, never to be mentioned again.

But healthy reflection doesn’t avoid the unpleasant reality; it acknowledges it and uses it to grow.

Reflection is something that needs our attention more than once a year. It’s a habit and should be developed like any other habit.

The benefits of reflection done well include clarity of mind, less volatile knee-jerk reactions to things, and deeper relationships.

Why is it that we find reflection so difficult?

For one, there are so many distractions to occupy us. Opening the phone and going on an infinite scroll down the screen is a soothing but mindless activity. As is swiping left or right. Or getting sucked into doomscrolling over politics, the pandemic, or anything in the news.

When we have …