Assessment on a Personal Level
Based on Marshall Goldsmith’ s“ What Got You Here Won’ t Get You There”
In highlighting, analyzing, and digesting the habits of successful people, I realized that 3 habits don’ t accurately describe some of my personal habits. Through some manifestation, I have demonstrated all of the twenty habits, and am outlining the most prominent and destructive ones that have recently come forth in my behavior.
Habit # 4 Making Destructive Comments is one of the major behavioral problems I have seen myself demonstrate, and have had peers warn me about. Destructive comments on anything would come out of my mouth at minimum, 10 times daily. I began working on this problem last semester when I realized how it was negatively impacting the peers I would comment on, and how I was being judged in return. The spawn of my making these destructive comments was, and still is, to make a“ joke” and be funny, yet I realize that not everybody has the same sense of humor as me and that my telling these“ jokes” weren’ t to be funny but to make me more confident in myself. I don’ t want to gain confidence sadistically and have stopped making the slick, hurtful comments, and have been accountable when I slip up and make destructive comments.
Habit # 8 Negativity or“ Let me explain why that won’ t work” is the next major behavioral problem I have seen myself demonstrate and have been criticized by my peers and family for. I don’ t recall myself using the“ Let me explain why that won’ t work” line but I do know I have the tendency to be negative, and this negativity stems from my over analyzing and rationalizing every situation. Every day, constantly, I am rationalizing the things I do, determining all possible positive and negative outcomes, and seeking the best path to get things accomplished. In this rationalization, I typically verbalize the negative outcomes to my peers, disregarding all of the positive outcomes I have determined in the particular situation. To change this behavior, I have started keeping the negative outcomes to myself and tried not to rationalize every situation as much, and keep a positive aura about me. This change has produced beneficial results, in that, random strangers or people I have met for the first time feel warmth from me and see my positive and humble spirit.
Habit # 5 Starting with“ No,”“ But,” or“ However” is the third behavioral problem on my list and can be attributed to the fact I enjoy talking and talk way too much. The situation outlined by Dr. Goldsmith was funny because I was just at dinner the other day with my mother and brother, and my mom said,“ Myiah you wouldn’ t be able to not say anything even if it meant getting a million dollars right on the table.” My mother was just joking, but what she said was true, because I over analyze and rationalize every situation, as mentioned previously, I would feel compelled to ask questions for clarity and unfortunately miss out on the opportunity to get a million dollars. This habit is hard for me to explain how I will change, because I don’ t know what steps need to be taken to fully eradicate this issue, and saying“ Thank you” doesn’ t work ideally in every situation. For now I am working on my overanalyzing and rationalizing situations. the slick, hurtful comments, and have been accountable when I slip up and make destructive comments.
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