The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.
Am I going to work on that personal project I’ve been talking about for months, or am I going to watch hours of Youtube and decide I deserve a no-floss day before falling asleep? In social psychology we’ve learned that the best guess for how many hours you will spend studying for an exam does not come from you, but rather from your good friend. Weirdly, our friends see us more objectively than we see ourselves. They see us simply– without considering our motivations, our hopes and dreams, our deep fears! They just see what we actually do…
Our data is collected and used, but rarely for our benefit.
We are in control of ourselves, but we are also slave to our habits. Corporations collect your data to make use of your tendencies – good or bad – for their bottom line. It’s a reality that we can resist, but one that we cannot ignore. In fact, these entities may already know more about us and what we’re going to do than we know ourselves. I hate that I will stop to click through a Nordstrom ad on my feed, but I kind of like it too. Damn.
Owning your data.
To take a little power back, I collect data … on myself. It started out as a spreadsheet to track my expenses when money was tight, but I began to use it to determine if purchases were worth it, what “mistakes” I made, and how often I really do my laundry. It has expanded to include a lot more. I use that data to predict what I’m likely to do, and I try to use that information to redirect my behavior. To another person, I’m sure this sounds excessive, but it allows me a glimpse of myself. It gives me a little strength to change, and to me – that is worth it.
Self-awareness is developed by having more data on ourselves.
In the same way that it’s important to acknowledge our biases towards people who we consider different from ourselves, it’s important to acknowledge just how weak we are to the way we are. It should never be an excuse. No, it is a practice in humility. We’re not really equipped to see ourselves objectively, and that’s why self-awareness is such an emphasized area for self-development.
Tools that are not spreadsheets.
There are other ways to develop self-awareness. Often meditation and mindfulness exercises are recommended. 360 degree feedback is a great tool that in theory is probably the most effective, but our egos become a factor when others are brought in to evaluate us. As humans we’re not great at taking feedback nor are we that great at giving feedback. Still, it is incredibly valuable to take in perspectives that challenge our blind spots.
For a more independent exercise – if it doesn’t gross you out that much – maybe consider starting a spreadsheet. Collect data and analyze the helplessly complex you.
