Is perception reality? How others perceive you, if it is their truth, does that make it the truth? What about how you perceive yourself? Other than you, who cares what others think?
Fact or fiction? Real or imagined?
If you were to describe yourself in 3 words would it match the way others describe you? Would it be the same 3 words?
I attended a leadership retreat and one of the exercises was passing around a card with your name at the top and beneath it everybody wrote one word to describe you. Some of the people I knew before the retreat and others this was my first opportunity to spend any time with them, so it was probably a fair sampling.
It was interesting to see how others perceived and described me; it read like someone describing me for a blind date. Nice jerkguy, dickpersonable, assholefunny…..yeah, that guy; the great personality guy…
Is your business persona different than your personal one? What about when you are with your friends vs when you are with your family; would different descriptors be used?
I would like to say with me what you see is what you get, and the core is the same but I do act differently around my friends than I do around my wife family. Both are real, just different.
Where is the real you? Who is the real you?
My perception is my reality
Heck yeah, I’m sure I have an over-inflated opinion of my great self and certainly don’t need to listen to some yahoo tell me otherwise. It’s all about me, right?
But is it?
If you know how others think of you, can that shape your personality; your actions? Even if you don’t necessarily agree what others think is you beneath those layers, by others thinking so, then does it become so?
Self-fulfilling prophesy?
Well, let’s see then
Take the test or play my game; whatever you want to call it.
Describe yourself in three words and I will respond with whether I concur and had the same perception or if it was something different. If it’s different, I will add my thoughts. But by putting it out there, you are fair game; anybody who comes by can play too.
The end result might be where each person picks up a whole new perspective on how others think of them.
And of course, I control the pen so if anybody says something less than flattering about me, I’ll just change it.
Are you game?
If I were to describe myself in three words, it would be:
- kind
- funny
- personable
Sounds like somebody is finishing last. There goes that blind date description again. Well, if the shoe fits I guess it’s best just to wear it.
I would like to be that roguishly handsome edgy bad boy that all the chicks dig. Instead, I somehow ended up Herman Milquetoast. Yikes, ok maybe not that bad but somewhere in between.
Grandmothers dig me.
Now it’s your turn
Let me see what your over-inflated opinion of yourself is in three words. Since we are all gurus, I’m sure some big words will come out so I’ll refer them to Josh if I need a clarification.
Just kidding of course, and don’t worry, this is the internet so however you describe yourself, it has to be true and nobody else will see it.
Fire away.
