𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 - 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏
 
To reach your desired destiny, you need to be self-aware.
 
As you swim in turbulent currents of shifting markets, demanding customers, limited budgets, and challenging stakeholders, the one constant is you.
 
Failing to optimize yourself can lead to unnecessary delays and distractions, and even more serious consequences.
 
Also, you don’t want to feel lost and miserable on your journey. You want to succeed on your terms.*
 
This post is the first of a two-part series.
 
 
"𝙆𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙙𝙤𝙢." – Aristotle 
 
Wisdom is applying knowledge in a practical, productive manner. While we can gain knowledge quickly, leadership without wisdom is ultimately useless.
 
 
𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦. In a startup, something is always on fire. Your success will flow from deciding which fires must burn without your attention.
 
Understanding our emotions is critical for responding effectively. Knowing how we will react helps us face tough decisions and move past them quickly.

 
𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴. Building a meaningful business requires long-term relationships. The contribution of stakeholders will impact your success. 
 
People value consistency. Self-awareness helps us to relate clearly with others while maintaining our vision and values.

"𝙄𝙛 𝙬𝙚 𝙙𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥 𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛-𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙬𝙚 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙞𝙧𝙘𝙪𝙢𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙮 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙖𝙪𝙡𝙩." – Stephen Covey

𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. You face countless decisions daily. Knowing how you approach solutions and prioritize efforts will allow you to choose faster. 
 
Awareness can eliminate unconscious obstacles (e.g. internalized beliefs held from childhood) that prevent us from getting in our way.

𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘜𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘺. As a founder, life and business change constantly. Those changes can be exciting (opportunities) and daunting (disappointments). 

Nothing is certain in your journey, but strong self-awareness and clear vision offer a consistent framework and anchor you amid changing conditions.
 
 
𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩. Knowing yourself allows you to build on your strengths and augment your weaknesses. 

For instance, a logical founder with less charm may partner with a charismatic leader to build a strong community around their vision. 

Similarly, a visionary leader may need help to build infrastructure and will find someone great with details and organization.

 
Self-awareness has numerous benefits to optimize opportunities and mitigate self-imposed obstacles. The next post covers how to be more aware.

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* “I am successful on my own terms. Because if your success is not on your own terms, if it looks good to the world but does not feel good in your heart, it is not success at all. Remember the words of Lily Tomlin: ‘If you win the rat race, you’re still a rat.’” – Anna Quindlen

** A study by Green Peak Partners and Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations found self-awareness to be the strongest predictor of overall success. An article in the MIT Sloan Management Review, “How to Become a Better Leader,” cited self-awareness as the most critical capability for leaders to develop.

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