1.1: Self-Awareness

of people believe they are self-aware, but only about 10-15% actually are.

What is Self-Awareness?

Self-awareness is the ability to understand who you are—your strengths, weaknesses, motivations, and behaviors—and how these impact your interactions with others. Simply put, it’s like having an accurate internal mirror, allowing you to objectively evaluate yourself, recognize your emotional responses, and improve your decision-making. In fact, research by organizational psychologist Dr. Tasha Eurich found that while 95% of people believe they’re self-aware, only about 10-15% actually are. Most of us have room to grow.

Why Self-Awareness Matters

Developing strong self-awareness can dramatically enhance your career and personal life. It helps you make smarter, decisions and improve relationships by increasing your emotional intelligence. Consider a real-world example: Serena Williams credits self-awareness for helping her remain composed under pressure, transforming setbacks into opportunities by honestly assessing her reactions, strengths, and emotional triggers during high-stakes tennis matches. The result? 23 Grand Slam singles titles and a legendary career.

The Benefits of Being Truly Self-Aware

When you develop genuine self-awareness, you see improvements in your confidence, communication skills, resilience, and effectiveness as a leader and team player. You become better equipped to handle challenges, more effective at setting meaningful goals, and more capable of inspiring and motivating those around you. Or, as legendary management thinker Peter Drucker famously said:

“Success in the knowledge economy comes to those who know themselves—their strengths, their values, and how they best perform.”