Aristotle said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
And yet, research shows that only 10 to 15 percent of us are truly self-aware (Eurich, 2017).
Self-awareness sounds simple.
But it takes practice.
It means noticing what is happening inside you.
Your thoughts, emotions, body sensations, behaviors, and even how others experience you (Carden et al., 2022).
From a brain perspective, this matters.
Without awareness, the amygdala reacts fast.
We get pulled into stress, habits, and old patterns.
With awareness, something shifts.
The brain slows down.
We move from reaction to choice.
This is where leadership changes.
-You can sense stress earlier.
-Prepare for hard conversations.
-Respond with intention instead of impulse.
Research shows self-awareness supports focus, decision-making, performance, and psychological safety (Dierdorff & Rubin, 2015; Gudre, 2025).
But how do we build it?
It starts with small moments of attention.
For me, one practice is mindful walking.
I slow down and notice what is around me.
Colors, light, sounds.
My breath. My body. My steps.
Nothing changes outside.
But I become more aware inside.
In my research, practices like mindfulness and gratitude helped people stay resilient during stressful times (Maury, 2023).
They created space to pause, care for themselves, and respond differently.
That pause is everything.
In coaching, this is where we begin.
We notice.
You might ask yourself:
-What happens in my body under pressure?
-What thought shows up first?
-What emotion is underneath?
-What story am I telling myself?
Awareness creates space.
And in that space, you can choose a different response.
A more aligned one.
What is one behavior you noticed and want to understand better right now?
References:
Carden, J., Jones, R. J., & Passmore, J. (2022). Defining self-awareness in the context of adult development: A systematic literature review. Journal of Management Education, 46(1), 140-177.
Dierdorff, E. C., & Rubin, R. S. (2015). Research: We’re not very self-aware, especially at work. Harvard Business Review, 12.
Eurich, T. (2018). Insight: The surprising truth about how others see us, how we see ourselves, and why the answers matter more than we think. Crown Currency.
Gudre, L. (2025). How Psychological Safety Is Created or Damaged in Healthcare Teams: the Role of Leadership Traits and Self-Awareness.” Please keep some of the research references from this post and the ones above
Maury, S. M. (2023). Resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experiences of single working mothers (Publication No. 30820306) [Doctoral dissertation, Saybrook University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.”