How well do we capture “self” with a high degree of accuracy?

Aptitude tests for employment often filter out “this is how I want to be” or “this is how I should be. It takes a lot of courage to be true to your heart and look at both the good and the bad aspects of yourself.

To take control of our lives, including our careers, in our own hands, proper self-knowledge is essential. Some studies have shown that people with greater self-awareness are more likely to be promoted. However, according to organizational psychologist Tasha Eurich, only 10-15% of people are actually self-aware.

The process of self-knowledge begins with the acceptance of the truth without deception. In order to remove prejudice against oneself and to become self-aware correctly, one needs space to be honest in one’s assessment of a third party. This cannot be achieved even by a friend or colleague, but it is not so easy to find someone who can lovingly whip you into shape.

This is where 16Personalities comes in: nowadays, content that isolates the compatibility and characteristics of different personalities is as visible as blood typing. There is no need to think about benefits for reputation, promotion, or employment. Being able to diagnose one’s personality in a safe space, by oneself and for oneself, will encourage a step toward highly accurate self-awareness. In the ensuing opinion piece, we will examine the educational possibilities of how the strengths that have been uncovered can be developed.

Your preferences, strengths and weaknesses. These are questions that are asked at every step of the way, from entrance examinations to employment.

I have been asked them, but I wonder how much I have been aware of myself. My self-perception may be different from what others see, and my perceived weaknesses and shortcomings may be limiting my future possibilities.

I was a hardcore liberal arts student from high school to my current major, and math was my natural enemy, but this spring I decided to pursue a master’s degree in research with a science-oriented focus. Although people around me and myself are surprised by this decision, I feel that it is the result of a significant change in my attitude toward mathematics in the pursuit of what I want to do.

Compulsory education up to junior high school was quite normal, and the five subjects were divided into five separate courses. I feel that this was the reason why it was difficult for me to connect to what I wanted to do in the future. If you study out of a sense of obligation, it is easy to develop a sense of weakness. It is true that the importance of compulsory education finally became apparent as students began to study with an eye toward what they wanted to do and their future when they entered high school or university.

I wonder if it would be possible to relate what they want to do to their studies a little earlier. If they realize that studying can be more free and fun, they will have more options for the future, more things they like to do, and more opportunities for self-knowledge.

In this era of VUCA, there is a growing focus on inquiry, collaboration, and process-based learning, rather than just learning from textbooks, memorizing, and writing on problem sheets. STEM education, which focuses on chemistry, technology, engineering, and mathematics, has recently been adopted by a variety of institutions as STEAM education, which adds the arts to this focus. It is gaining attention as an educational approach that fosters critical thinking through inquiry, dialogue, and the performance of complex tasks.

STEAM education is unique in that it does not have the traditional boundaries of the five subject areas. It is more practical and easy to understand what the study is for. By learning across disciplines, it is easier than ever to understand the significance of study, and it is expected to make learning freer and more enjoyable. This will be an opportunity to think about one’s future and expand one’s options in the process of studying.

One of the most powerful tools for improving learning outcomes. It is metacognition. By paying attention to how their own inner feelings interact with the external learning environment, learners can identify times of greatest productivity and remove distracting stimuli.

What separates true professionals from mediocre people? Harvard professor Donald Shane points out that the difference between the two lies in the habit of “introspection”. Reflecting on experiences of disappointment / expectations, moments of frustration, and mistakes that have been made can be especially helpful to a leader’s growth and learning, he says. Specific actions include writing down negative experiences and feelings in detail in a journal, and setting aside an hour each week to reflect and observe from a neutral standpoint.

According to a national survey of eighth graders in 2021, the percentage of both boys and girls who “dislike” or “somewhat dislike” sports has been on the rise since 2008. The causes are ableism on the part of the teachers and a sense of dislike on the part of the children. In response, an elementary school in Yamanashi Prefecture has adopted gateball as a physical education class. The purpose is to lead children away from competition, and to let them enjoy the sport itself while experiencing ingenuity and cooperation.

What can parents do to help their children learn from their mistakes? Clinical psychologist David Anderson says it’s all about how you perceive it. If parents react negatively to failure, children will think they must avoid it. Supporting opportunities, time, and space for children to slow down and think about failure may help them make great strides in their likes and strengths.