Definition of Consciousness, together with High, Overused & Low behaviors and some Advice on how to Develop this competency (4:13 mins) Copy

Shows self-awareness of thoughts, feelings and reactions, and make efforts to improve self

Advantages when Consciousness is High:

• Understands your own experiences with reason and feelings
• Tends to reflect on past experiences so as to improve decisions
• Compares present experiences with other ones for insights
• Sees the consequences of one’s own actions
• Stays alert to changes in one’s own mood and emotional state

Risks when Consciousness is Overused:

• Wastes time in constant deliberation or unnecessary considerations
• Excessively interprets emotional state and draws unnecessary conclusions
• Theorizes what is good or bad but delays action to correct it
• Spends too much time thinking of past experiences
• Unble to move forward and may worry a lot

Risks when Consciousness is Low:

• Surprised by events or others’ reactions
• Puzzled or confused and unable to explain one’s own feelings
• Unable to learn from past experiences and may repeat the same mistakes
• Cannot see or understand why things turn out the way they do
• Unpredictable reactions in new situations

Development Advice:

• Practice asking questions like, “What was good and/or bad about what happened”, “How was my reaction?”, “What would I have done differently?”
• Slow down and observe your thoughts, feelings, words and actions. Reflect on what you would carry on doing, changes you would make and what you would stop doing.
• Ask others for feedback and compare notes with what you think.
• Look for a role model and ask yourself what you like about their approach which is different from yours.