Exercise 8: Frame of Reference

Discovering whether you have an internal or external frame of reference can help you with overstanding, if you focus and pay attention to information outside of yourself (external) or whether you prefer to look inwards (internal) more.  

Aim:

Knowing which stance you take is important because you will gain an understanding of where your motivation comes from.

Internal reference –  you are more likely to do what they believe is right (even if it is not), people who have an internal frame of reference, may not decide to seek feedback in the first place, as they are likely to be self-assured, without needing approval.  There are many benefits to this, as a person can be self-directed, be prepared to take risks etc., but the extreme can lead to arrogance and closed-mindedness.

External Reference – you are more likely to seek feedback and re-assurance from others. Children often have an external frame of reference, as they seek guidance from others, which helps them to learn and grow.  The positive side of this is that people are more likely seek information and advice from others which they take on board information, however, the downside maybe that their idea of self (and self-worth) is linked to what other people think about them.

Having a balanced approach depending on the situation is a good position to work from.

Questions:

How do you know what you have done a good job at something?

In what situations do you have more of an internal frame fo reference?

In what situations do you have more of an eternal frame fo reference?

In what situations do you need more balance?

What do you need to improve?