Introspection
Introspection is consciously directing attention to your own thoughts, emotions, motives and experiences.
Definition
Introspection helps to understand one's own reactions, but has limitations: a person does not always have full access to the reasons for his or her behavior and may rationalize after the fact. Therefore, the best introspection combines subjective insight with behavioral observation, feedback and real-world data.
Key ideas
- Inner insight
- Self-observation
- Limitations of subjectivity
Practice and life
After a strong reaction, write down three versions of an explanation: what I feel, what I think, what I did. Then check which facts support your interpretation.
Common misconceptions
It is a mistake to treat introspection as infallible access to truth. A common mistake is to turn introspection into rumination without action.
> Insight is valuable, but it needs exposure to facts.
> — Guru Element
Questions for self-reflection
- What do I know from observation and what do I just assume?
- How does my behavior confirm or contradict my story about myself?
- What feedback can I take into account?