Did you ever stop to wonder at the falling of autumn leaves?

Yea I know that right now each of you down south are answering with a resounding no but indulge me on this one.

So let me ask you this:  What do you do to reflect after a fall?

The fact is that we all fall at one season or another, one time or another, one job or another, one relationship or another.

We fall.

We fail.

(Feeling the motivation yet?)

Me neither.

Failing is no picnic.  It creates a situation where we lose our momentum.  We begin to ‘rethink’ everything we have ever done or will ever do.  Often times we stop moving forward and just think.

Thinking is good, but reflective thinking is better.

In my friend John’s latest book ‘The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth’ he speaks about the Law of Reflection – Learning to pause allows growth to catch up with you. He speaks about the way we can successfully engage in reflective thinking.  He quotes Jim Rohn who said “At the end of each day, you should play back the tapes of your performance. The results should either applaud you or prod you.”  It’s about the ‘aha’ moments in your life.

Whether you lead a major company, a volunteer group or yourself, here are several Reflective questions for you to use, especially after the ‘fall.’

1. What is my biggest asset?

What is it for you?  What is the one thing you bring to the table that you know folks most appreciate about you and that you enjoy sharing?

2. What is my biggest liability?

Alright true confessions, for me it is my lack of organization.  I have to work very hard to even try and have some order but I do the best I can and I have learned to accept and outsource the rest.

3.  What is my highest high?

What brings you the most joy?  What gives you the greatest fulfillment?

4.  What is my lowest low?

What experiences brought you your lowest lows?  What can you learn from them?

5.  What is my most worthwhile emotion?

Knowing our most worthwhile emotion allows us to be intentional about using it.

There are more reflective thinking questions that you can use. As leaders the key is to reflect, learn and take action.  It is a cycle that does not end of we run our lives and businesses correctly and it is a cycle that helps us to grow into the fullness of our own potential.

Follow effective action with quiet reflection.  From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action. – Peter F. Drucker