The Mirror of the Sea: Reflections on self-Discovery and the Iceberg Metaphor
When we think of an iceberg, the portion above the waterline is what is seen by others. This is where we live and operate in the real world, using skills, knowledge, and other resources to help us succeed in life.
Part of achieving a successful life is knowing who we are.Self is defined as being…
· Able to distinguish ourselves from others by potential and qualities
· Our own person
· A reflection on the past
Sometimes the iceberg is an accurate portrayal of who we are. Other times it can be a bit skewed. What is seen above the water line is interpreted as our identity, who we are, taking into consideration the traits of self.
People view and judge us based on their interpretation of our identity. They observe our actions, words we use, our personality (attitude), and the people we associate with, and then make decisions and sometimes judgements that impact us in negative ways.
Our actions often reflect our feelings. Sometimes these actions become behaviors and we exhibit them on a regular basis.
Our choice of words has the power to attract people to us. However, the opposite is also true, and we may repel people we want to attract.
Our personality, how we choose to engage with others and conduct our lives, provides a glimpse of who we are. What type of attitude do you most often exhibit that is seen as part of your identity? Is it accurate?
Another aspect of our identity that people observe is the people around us. Who do we actively spend our time with? How is this time and the associated activities interpreted by others?
The Mirror of the Sea
Let's embrace the journey of self-discovery and uncover the essential attributes that make us who we are. 🌟🔮
At the water line is the consciousness of your own identity; knowing who you are. This consciousness applies to both self-esteem and ego. When we speak of ego, we’re thinking of our self-worth, our self-importance. There’s a fine line between self-esteem and ego as both look positively on the individual. The difference being ego is less likely to be grounded in reality like self-esteem, and in some cases, goes to extremes.
Below the waterline, our identity is a relevant factor impacting our Self-Esteem. It’s important to note our self-esteem consists of 3 factors that eventually appear above the waterline as they are acted on. The 3Cs of self-esteem are confidence, competence, and connection. Individually and collectively they greatly impact what others see. They do not receive an equal amount of attention during their development so their individual impact will vary.
The first C is confidence. When we speak of confidence, what is the source? What life experiences enable us to increase the confidence we have in ourselves? What can we say is in our lives today that wasn’t there in the past? How has it impacted your confidence?
The second C is competence. How competent are you at completing the tasks assigned to you? What is your area of greatest competency? Are you using it in your current position?
The third C is for connections. “No man is an island.” Connections, just like being competent and confident, are an essential part of self-esteem. It has the potential to impact both confidence and competence. ‘Who You Know,’ has sometimes been deemed as more important than ‘what you know.’
Who you know may get you through the door. However, make sure you have the confidence and competence in your life (what you know) to continually enhance your self-esteem. The desire is to strengthen the 3Cs and create a solid foundation from which self-esteem can grow and expand in all directions.
When our competence is questioned, and our confidence has waned, ego helps us dig deep within ourselves to find the self-esteem needed to uplift our spirits and achieve greatness. Just make sure our ego is grounded in reality before we start digging.
