In a world where self-confidence is celebrated (and sometimes excessively so), it’s easy to mistake confidence for competence, overestimate our strengths, or downplay areas for growth.
This can be a tough pill to swallow. Few things challenge us more than feedback that doesn’t align with our self-image.
Many personal development courses teach us that self-awareness is the foundation of personal and professional growth. Without it, we risk overestimating our abilities, misaligning with others’ expectations, and getting stuck in blind spots that limit our potential.
The gap between how we see ourselves and how others see us is one of the most common dilemmas my coachees bring into our sessions—especially during yearly performance reviews.
And the science backs this up:
🤷♂️ Self-ratings often have low to moderate correlations with evaluations from supervisors and peers.
🤷♂️ Individuals frequently rate themselves higher than others do, which can create tension in performance appraisals.
🧑🎓𝗦𝗼, 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀?
Yes. Self-awareness is not a fixed trait; it’s a skill you can develop. Thanks to the brain’s neuroplasticity, we can change our thought patterns and behaviours through consistent practice. Reflective activities like mindfulness, journaling, and seeking constructive feedback lay the groundwork for greater awareness.
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿? Because self-awareness bridges the gap between who we think we are and who we want to be…
Personality assessments can provide helpful insights, but they’re only the starting point. True transformation happens during deep and consistent conversations—whether with trusted peers, mentors, or professional coaches.
“𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝘀𝘀, 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿, 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻, 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳—𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀?”