The Starving Baker

  1). In your opinion, why is personal growth and wellness a key characteristic to good leadership?

I think that personal growth is a major part of being a great leader because it allows you to learn from your mistakes and become a better person overall. Going back to the chapter about challenging the process, it is important that we have a growth mindset, so we can be an active leader and open to new ideas, possibilities, and adventures. I think that we do have the capacity to change, but only certain people acknowledge this capability and know-how to and decide to employ a change in themselves. Ultimately, I believe that personal growth helps us reach our full potential and allows us to thrive despite the experiences of our past. Wellness is also a key characteristic to being a good leader because a leader who is not at their strongest mentally, emotionally, or spiritually will not be as sharp or effective in using their leadership skills. Leaders have to be aware of when they are stretching themselves too thin and realize when they need to take a break, so they do not go off the deep end or drag their followers down as well. 

 

2.) What is your biggest hindrance to taking time for personal growth? 

I definitely take time for myself and have special places where I go to think, walk, write, workout, paint, etc. However, I feel as though sometimes I take too much time to myself. I can get into “the zone” when I go off to the park and write, take a walk outside, start abstract art, work out, etc. In these moments of my “me time” I will often silence my phone or put it away so I can concentrate on what I am doing and breathe without hearing a notification. When I do this, I can miss an invite out to dinner or a chance to get together with friends. This is not always the case, but it does happen. I do not limit my alone time or activity time when I go out, so sometimes I can be out for a while and not come back until after dinner time. Other times, I am not gone long. It just depends on the day, what I am doing, and how I am feeling at the moment. Also, because of COVID, I have just gotten used to not being able to be around people and socialize, so I have gotten more comfortable taking time to myself and doing things on my own. 

 

3.) Ancient wisdom. An old proverb says: "If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, the worker must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success." The lumberjack story was inspired by this proverb. We all understand the importance of "sharpening the axe." Why do you think we fail to do it? Why does it seem like a waste of time?

I think that people sometimes fail to sharpen their skills or the edge of their ax because they are afraid of change and asking for help from others. I think that often people view asking for help as a sign that they have failed and are weak. However, I think that asking for help shows the opposite. To me, asking for help does show that you are vulnerable, but at the same time, it also shows that you have the mindset and potential to grow stronger than ever. Asking for help also proves that you want to change and are willing to seek out guidance and advice in order to be better and successful. In my opinion, if someone is struggling and they do not ask for help, then they might not actually be willing or ready to make a real change. I also think that people lack the patience to first sharpen their skills and the edge of their ax. Sometimes we are so excited to dive in that we get ahead of ourselves and forget that if we only take time to think things through the execution of said project that our work and energy spent would be much more efficient and effective. 

 

4.) Why is it we often feel guilty when we stop to take care of ourselves?

Personally, I sometimes feel guilty when I do not work out or take too many days off from the gym. Part of this is because I am a very active and competitive person, so I do best when I am moving or exercising. I think another part of this guilty feeling and discomfort comes from the fact that I am not as good at straying from my typical plan or daily routine. Granted, I like going out and doing spontaneous things. However, the gym takes up a good portion of my day, and I do not always know how to fill that time when I take a day off. I also get a feeling of laziness and start to have guilt because I am not being as productive as I know I could be. Taking care of ourselves could also cause guilt for other people because we might have to ignore others or say no to them and their plans. Since being at college, I have realized that doing what you think is best for yourself is very important, and if that means you have to disappoint people or cancel plans, then that is what you have to do to look out for yourself. I am not saying that you can disregard other people or their feelings. Instead, what I am trying to say is that sometimes you cannot please everyone, and you have to do what is going to make you happy and worry so much about what others are going to think when you take action to take care of yourself. 

 

5.) Staying "sharp" can mean lots of things. How do you do it? How do you feed and refresh yourself?

I stay “sharp” by writing things down like assignments, what I need to do, what I need to remember, or anything else of importance; color coding; going to the gym and working out, having sticky notes on hand, and briefly calling my family to give them updates and listen to their news. I also try to spend time outside each day as long as it is nice enough to be out because I cannot stand being inside for an extended period of time when the sun is out. Listening to music can also be helpful for motivation or used for a quick brain break. I will admit that I do not listen to my apple watch when it tells me to breathe, but the activities I mentioned above help me breathe each in their own way.