Self-Reflection - Influencers
Related Chapters: Chapter 9 – Influencers • Chapter 56 – Vetting Our Influencers
Purpose
Every one of us has been shaped by influences we did not choose and by influences we intentionally welcomed into our lives. Family, friends, teachers, books, culture, religion, media, life experiences, and countless other sources all contribute to the person we become.
Some influences encourage wisdom, compassion, and growth. Others reinforce fear, prejudice, misinformation, or unhealthy habits. Most of us are influenced far more often than we realize.
This reflection is an invitation to become more aware of the influences shaping your thinking, values, and behavior today. The goal is not to eliminate influence—that would be impossible—but to become more intentional about choosing influences that help you become the person you hope to be.
Reflection Statements
Scoring:
1 = Rarely 2 = Sometimes 3 = Often 4 = Almost Always
Write your score in the blank preceding each statement.
_______ 1. I think about where many of my beliefs and values came from.
_______ 2. I intentionally spend time with people who bring out the best in me.
_______ 3. I can recognize when advertising, news, or social media is trying to influence my thinking.
_______ 4. I know how to evaluate the accuracy of information presented to me.
_______ 5. Before sharing information with others, I make a reasonable effort to determine whether it is accurate.
_______ 6. When a source repeatedly provides inaccurate information or refuses to correct significant errors, I become more cautious about trusting it.
_______ 7. I am willing to reconsider an opinion when presented with good evidence.
_______ 8. Learning that I was wrong about something usually increases my curiosity rather than threatening my identity.
_______ 9. I regularly seek viewpoints that differ from my own.
_______ 10. I notice how my emotions can affect what I find persuasive.
_______ 11. I choose books, conversations, or other media that help me grow as a person.
_______ 12. I can identify influences in my life that have not been good for me.
_______ 13. I try to be the kind of influence on others that I have appreciated in my own life.
_______ 14. I occasionally pause to ask, "Who or what is shaping my thinking right now?"
_______ 15. I recognize that my actions influence other people, even in small ways.
_______ 16. I feel I have become more intentional about choosing my influences as I have grown older.
Total Score: ________
Looking Beyond the Score
Before totaling your responses, consider these questions.
- Which statement caused you to pause the longest?
- Which positive influence has most shaped the person you are today?
- Is there an influence in your life that deserves more of your attention?
- Is there one that deserves less?
- Did any of your answers surprise you?
Sometimes the most valuable insight comes from a single question rather than an overall score.
If You Wish to Calculate a Total
Add your ratings.
Possible scores range from 16 to 64.
52–64
Your responses suggest that you are generally thoughtful about the influences shaping your life. You appear willing to examine your beliefs, evaluate information carefully, and intentionally choose many of the influences you allow into your life.
40–51
Like most people, you seem aware of many influences while still discovering others that operate quietly in the background. This reflection may encourage you to become even more intentional about the voices you trust and the example you set for others.
28–39
Your responses suggest there may be opportunities to become more aware of how people, media, emotions, habits, and experiences shape your thinking and behavior. Awareness is often the first step toward greater intentionality.
16–27
Every human being is influenced by the world around them. Your responses may simply be an invitation to become more curious about the forces that continue to shape your beliefs, decisions, and relationships.
Questions for Further Reflection
- Who has been the most positive influence in my life? Why?
- What experience changed my thinking more than any other?
- Whose influence would I like to reduce?
- What kind of influence do I hope my family and friends experience when they interact with me?
- What important question do you wish had been included?
One Small Experiment
During the next few days, simply become more aware of the influences you invite into your life.
Notice the conversations you have, the media you consume, the books you read, the people you spend time with, and the ideas that capture your attention.
At the end of the week, ask yourself:
"Which of these influences helped me become a little wiser, kinder, healthier, or happier?"
Reflection Notes (Optional)
Use this space to capture any thoughts, insights, questions, surprises, or intentions that came to mind while completing this reflection.
Final Reflection
Influence is one of the quietest forces shaping every human life. We cannot choose many of the influences that formed us during childhood, but we have increasing freedom to choose the influences that shape us today. Just as importantly, we each become an influence in others' lives. The question is not whether we influence people—we do. The more important question is: What kind of influence are we becoming?