Week 14 Reflection
a) what did you discover/learn in the project
I learned more about myself. I think I was aware of most of the areas in my mattering map, however, it was the first time I sat down and organized it on a piece of paper. It gave me a better idea of what really mattered to me and the reasons for my decisions. I also learned the areas in which I need to continue working on through the analysis of akrasia. Most importantly, I learned how many of these areas are bound to change and grow in the future. I think it is important to be able to come back to this map and continue making changes throughout my life.
b) what were you challenged by
I think introspection in general is a very hard thing to do. Especially for our generation, we spend so much time on our work, social media, and consuming information from outside. We tend to spend less time alone reflecting on ourselves. Therefore, it felt weird and awkward to start thinking about these things that drive who we are. It was even more challenging to share this with others as it was something that really opened up who we are as a person. However, through this challenge, I learned the importance of being able to communicate these areas of the mattering map to yourself and others.
c) what did you question
I think I was throwing myself questions constantly as I tried to work out my mattering map. In a way, I was conducting an interview with myself in order to dig out the ethos, logos, and pathos that I lived by. So I ended up asking questions like:
- What does family mean to you?
- What are you most interested in right now?
- What drives your motivation?
Near the end of the project, I noticed that many of these areas in our mattering map require time and effort. So I began thinking more on how to balance these aspects of my life depending on what my priority is at the time.
d) how successful was your project
I think it was very successful. It’s really the first time I got to work on myself for a long duration. It really helped me get a clearer picture of who I am as a person and what areas I need to focus on in the coming years. Furthermore, I was excited to see how sustainability was now a growing part in my mattering map. I think it was a brilliant wrap to this class.
e) what did you learn from your colleagues
I was impressed by how much my colleagues opened up for this project. I feel like I learned more about them through the 5 minutes than the whole semester, and it was great. I think what stood out to me from everyone’s presentation was that everyone had an area that they knew they needed to continue working on. They clearly pin-pointed their akrasia and how they plan to work on it moving forward. I think this taught and reaffirmed my belief that the first step of addressing a problem was to acknowledge it. I don’t think anyone’s mattering map was perfect. We all had areas in which we knew needed more effort. However, being able to acknowledge those areas probably took a lot of introspection and courage. Through this challenge, I got the sense that everyone in the class was better equipped to make decisions for themselves in the future.
f) what would you do differently
I wouldn’t do anything different. However, I think the mattering map is an exercise that I will carry with me from now on. It really helped me a lot to stop and think about myself. I am now excited to see how my mattering map will change and grow in the coming months and years.
