Museum Hack for Shadowing Hunting

Self-awareness and introspection are two of the most powerful tools we have for personal growth. You already know that—but getting to true self-awareness? That can be tricky.

Here’s a surprisingly effective— maybe even foolproof—way to uncover areas where you still have inner work to do. And all it requires is a trip to an art museum.

I’m not talking about anything elaborate. Any sizable art museum will do, but if you can find one with multiple galleries or wings—covering different periods, styles, and movements—that’s even better.

Here’s what you do:

Before you step foot into any gallery, take a look at the museum map or exhibit list. Notice what immediately grabs your attention—but more importantly, notice what doesn’t. What are you tempted to skip? What bores you just reading about it?

You can choose to start with what you're drawn to or what you're repelled by—but as you walk through, pay close attention. Your goal is to find one piece of art that triggers an uncomfortable emotional response. And I don’t mean sadness.

I mean the ugly emotions:

Anger.

Disgust.

Jealousy.

Envy.

Rage.

Even fear.

If a piece of art triggers one of those in you—stop. Stay there.

Resist the impulse to walk away or immediately analyze why the piece is “bad” or “wrong.”

Instead, give yourself space to feel. Sit with it. Journal if you can. Take a photo (no flash, if allowed), and take it home with you—mentally or literally.

Then start asking the real questions:

• Why did I feel this way?

• What specifically triggered this reaction?

• What memories, beliefs, or personal experiences are being stirred here?

Don’t settle for the first answer. Keep digging. Use the “5 Whys” technique—a method borrowed from performance analysis and root cause discovery. Apply it to yourself. Keep going until you reach the deeper layer—the part of you this piece exposed.

Remember: this exercise isn’t about whether the art is good or bad. It’s not even about being right in your reaction. It’s about discovery. Because the things that make us most uncomfortable often hold the greatest potential for insight and transformation.

So the next time you visit a museum, skip the search for beauty. Go looking for what disturbs you.

That’s where the growth lives.

If this sparked something in you, subscribe to keep exploring the intersection of art, self-awareness, and personal growth with me. This is just the beginning.

This powdered wig makes me roll my eyes so hard, I end up staring right back at my own ego. Now you try. Richard Bill 1733, John Smibert CC0 Public Domain Designation