Self improvement is an honourable endeavour to pursue in your professional and personal life alike. Do you ask yourself how you are doing and track your progress?

I am reposting this from 2015. It is a reminder to reflect on a what we do and how we do it. Reflection is a professional habit worth developing.

I attended a LinkedIn conference where Marshall Goldsmith shared his six favourite questions. Marshall Goldsmith is a learning guru. He is ranked #1 executive coach in the world by Global Gurus, #1 leadership thinker, #5 business thinker ranking by Thinkers 50, a million-selling author of 35 books, and a renowned keynote speaker.

These questions, posed daily, are a great reminder for living a more effective life. You don’t have to share them with anyone else. The judge and jury lie within. Just ask yourself every day. Then, notice the pattern over a week, over a month. If you are uncomfortable about your progress, you will probably do something about it. The power lies within.

Did I do my best to set clear goals?

Did I do my best to make progress towards my goals?

Did I do my best to find meaning?

Did I do my best to be happy?

Did I do my best to build positive relationships?

Did I do my best to be fully engaged?

These are active questions – placing the emphasis on you the responder to say whether you have done your best. The net result is that you are much more likely to take responsibility for your own actions and any changes that will flow.

If you want to see Marshall in action, watch this video clip. To finish, a word from the guru:

“Anybody can change, but they have to want to change.”
~ Marshall Goldsmith