What if … true wisdom comes from constantly challenging ourselves?

Challenge can be conscious:

I remember one incident that happened in around 2016 quite well. In a management team meeting somebody put the question forward: “What would or how would you like to be remembered on your gravestone?” Now for whatever reason at that point in time, I was going through a fair amount of self reflection anyway — part of which was a massive amount of writing about how we learn. In listening or recounting the answers of the other people in the room, a couple of them were very much what I really hope people will think about me… (but not what people will really think about me). As they went around the room and I was going to be last to respond.

How would you have answered this question?

I looked at them in all honesty and said: “Sometimes he was a real ass, but his writing made me think”. Now this brought about a fair amount of chuckles around the room and a couple of looks of surprise. “Do you want people to think you’re an ass?” someone queried. And I realized inside no, but I am honest enough with myself to know people think I’m an ass sometimes. So I wanted to respond with what I think people would really think about me versus what I hoped people would think about me. CONSCIOUS CHALLENGE.