Your Personal Adamant List (PAL) Understand and Know Yourself – Help Others to Understand You Too (Getting To Know You)

I am Adamant About That.

You've heard this phrase time-and-time again from individuals - from your friends, from colleagues, from family, even from your own mouth. In a group conversation, you or someone has likely ended a statement with this claim, “....... I am adamant about that!”.

This phrase seems to emphasize a strong and unmovable conviction or opinion about a particular subject. This exclamatory statement “I am adamant about that!” serves to both reinforce our personal, absolute convictions and also let's others know that this is your non-negotiable, uncompromising, don't-question-me area.

This personal claim of conviction is a perfect window (Johari Window) into your persona and helps people understand you as an individual, as a human being. This 'adamantation', as we shall call it, is a glimpse into your personal BELIEFS and VALUES. And beliefs and values are the solid foundation of our personalities.

A new approach.

Idea! Most of us presently elicit these personal 'adamantations' in a random way through one-on-one conversations and group dialogue. Maybe we should take time, regularly, to create (and re-create) a written 'Personal - I am Adamant List'. This list could explicitly identify our personal position on any number of worldly things. Some of the topic areas to consider as part of this 'Personal Adamant List' might be: the environment (maybe specifically global warming), traditions (around holidays and birthdays), relationships (love and friendship relationships), ethics, spirituality, sexuality, politics and the list grows.

A 'Personal Adamant List', or PAL, would never be a static or stagnant written list. Your 'Personal Adamant List' would, like life, be a dynamic and changing list of 'adamantations'. Over time this PAL would outline an interesting personal history of your beliefs and values mapping a revealing trail of your personal growth and maturity. A personal document more poignant than the daily ramblings of a diary or a BLOG. Your PAL, being void of personal references, would have the added benefit of being something you might openly share. Your PAL is likely to provide YOU with a greater understanding of YOURSELF. A Good Thing.

Make your 'Personal Adamant List' (PAL) a part of your toolset when you are assessing a new employer, a customer or a business associate. Use it to determine the alignment between your personal beliefs and values and their underlying beliefs and values. You could even include parts of your PAL in your bio, your blog and your profile information. Give people the opportunity to really get to KNOW YOU, really get to UNDERSTAND YOU. Understanding is the first step toward effective communication. It could result in a richer human interaction and communication experience. This is a another Good Thing.

Imagine the positive effect at a party, social soiree (swa ray), or business gathering. Much reduced 'foot-in-mouth' situations. Eliminate those embarrassing moments when you say something that, you only now realize, is diametrically opposed to somebody else's belief. And now you perform some awkward back-peddling to counter the wave of alienation you've created. In time using your PAL, you could come to develop a more adept manner of approaching topics, which will allow you to test the waters for other people's 'adamantations' before opening your mouth. More improved communication and human interaction.

It just keeps getting better.