WHAT DOES SELF-AWARENESS REALLY MEAN?

by Kekeli Fortune

We all know that sometimes we tend to surprise others and even ourselves when we find out that we are actually interested in a particular thing, or when we finally discover the right profession that fits our personality and aspirations. We are also surprised when we discover the things that are dear to our hearts because we never imagined that such things may appeal to us. However, knowing yourself distinctly is very crucial to self-development and progress. Let’s take a look at the constituents of self-awareness and it’s expression.

“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.” _Laozi

Hallmarks of self-awareness

1. A person who has self-knowledge, or is self-aware knows their essence—what they are made of— and does not have fictional expectations nor fantasies of themselves. They also show a great deal of self-confidence.

2. They never tell lies about who they are to themselves, or to others.

3. A person who is self-aware is sensitive to what exactly they are feeling and the effects of this emotion on themselves, and on the people around them.

4. They know how they would respond to a particular situation, and therefore, are prepared for when they have to deal with that situation, or circumvent the situation entirely. For example, a person who knows they act terrible under a stressful environment finds ways to avoid such an environment, or knows what practices to perform to mitigate their impeding bad reactions.

5. A self-aware person also knows the exact cause of their emotions, knows how to control their emotions, and finds ways to turn negative feelings into positive energy.

6. Self-awareness also indicates that a person knows what their purpose, goals and values are.

7. A self-aware person is always willing to voice out negative emotions, no matter how bad it might make them look. They are also not ashamed of their failures and are prompt to accept constructive criticism; in fact, they constantly and consciously seek out constructive criticism.

8. They know when to say “No”, and when to ask for help.

How can I know myself?

To develop the art of self-knowledge and self-awareness, one must open up his or her mind to receive new information that might be unpleasant in some cases.

This is because self-awareness is not only attained through looking inside of one's self and examining who they are; listening to the opinion of others concerning their characteristics is quite as important. This way, one is able to avoid the illusion that they are without faults when it comes to a particular behavior.

Taking time off to consciously reflect on the results of various actions with the purpose of gaining new insight is the internal way of obtaining self-knowledge. Reflection is characterized by intentional questioning of one’s experiences and trying to understand the lessons learnt and alternate ways—if possible, better ways—of handling the same challenges.

The external way of obtaining self-knowledge is seeking reviews and feedback from others, and accepting them with objectivity. In order to obtain true self-knowledge, both processes are equally necessary.

It’s also important to note that people who experience success in most of their endeavors attribute it to listening to their instincts or their guts. Your instincts are basically lessons learnt unconsciously from past experiences; because the most accomplished people in society have a high degree of self-awareness, they are able to clearly define every experience and the lessons learnt. Hence, they are inclined to listen to their instincts and consequently make the best choices.

So, what should I know about myself?

1. Strengths are positive and unique inherent characteristics that set you apart from your peers; they confer on you the abilities to overcome challenges more efficiently. They can also be things that you know how to do extremely well.

2. Weaknesses are also internal attributes; however, they prevent you from performing your roles or overcoming challenges efficiently. They are things that need to be improved upon, or they are attributes that you must entirely avoid. Your weakness may also be an absence of a particular attribute that is crucial to your profession or your relationships.

3. Opportunities are external occurrences, usually transient, that provide you the chance to pursue and attain an aspiration. You should learn to identify opportunities as quickly as they come. You can assess mistakes made in the past that caused you to miss the right opportunities for you and learn from them.

4. Threats are also external occurrences, but they bring about peril and destruction and frustration.

5. Fears are things that hold you back; they hold captive and prevent you from moving towards your aspirations. E.g. fear of failure, fear of uncertainty, and fear of change.

6. Insecurities are facets of your life that you are not confident in.

7. Aspirations and goals are particular feats that you want to accomplish during a time frame.

8. Purpose is basically that thing you feel strongly about, and therefore, it is that one thing that you desire to accomplish before your time on earth ends. Finding the purpose of your life begins with the desire to help others.

9. Values: for example; helpfulness, honesty, growth, health, family, etc.

10. You should be able to clearly define your interests and the things that excite you.

11. Your current skill set and your needed skill set; your capabilities and abilities

Conclusion

To conclude, a person’s awareness of himself or herself can range from a low degree to high degree. It is also worth noting that nobody can ever attain complete self-awareness; It is a never-ending process. Self-improvement will only come once we decide to let go of the notion that we are perfect. Being self-conservative is in effect trying to hinder your personal progress. Letting go of those fixed beliefs is the only way to appreciate the endless possibilities of what we could become.

Reference:

Goleman, D. (2019). Self-awareness, Harvard Business Review press, Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation, pp. 11-37.

Mindtools. SWOT Analysis How to develop a strategy for success (accessed 13 May 2020).