Back in January, Harvard Business Review published research that suggests that when we have a high level of self-awareness, we are more confident and more creative. We make sounder decisions, build stronger relationships, and communicate more effectively.

 

There are two main dimensions of self-awareness. The first, which the study calls internal self-awareness, represents how clearly we see our own values, passions, and aspirations fit with our environment, reactions (including thoughts, feelings, behaviours, strengths, and weaknesses), and impact on others. Internal self-awareness is associated with higher job and relationship satisfaction, personal and social control, as well as happiness; when internal self-awareness is low it is related to anxiety, stress, and depression.

 

The second category, external self-awareness, means understanding how other people view us, in terms of those same factors listed above. People who know how others see them are more skilled at showing empathy and taking others’ perspectives. By using external self-awareness we tend to have better relationships with others, feel more satisfied with our context, and see others as more effective.

 

First, understand yourself, then understand others before you are understood.