Truly knowing yourself requires serious effort. But unfortunately, there’s no set path to self-awareness, no standardized steps you can take to reach it.

That said, taking some time to examine yourself—your skills, your desires, your motivations—helps. It’s a way to do the work of getting to know yourself better.

1. What are my goals and aspirations in life?
2. What are my strengths and weaknesses?
3. What makes me happy and fulfilled?
4. What are my values and beliefs?
5. What are my priorities and how do I allocate my time and resources?
6. How do I handle stress and adversity?
7. What kind of relationships do I want in my life and how do I cultivate them?
8. How do I communicate effectively with others?
9. What are my passions and hobbies?
10. How do I maintain a healthy work-life balance?
11. What are my financial goals and how do I manage my money?
12. How do I continue to learn and grow?
13. How do I take care of my physical, emotional, and mental health?
14. What kind of legacy do I want to leave behind?
15. How do I deal with failure and setbacks?
16. What are my boundaries and how do I enforce them?
17. How do I make decisions and prioritize my responsibilities?
18. What do I want to achieve in my career or profession?
19. How do I contribute to my community and society at large?
20. How do I find meaning and purpose in my life?

Talk, talk, talk.

With friends, colleagues, mentors, coaches. Just by vocalizing your feelings, you discover new things about yourself. Especially when you talk with people who ask questions that make you think.

Introspection is difficult because you must be honest with yourself, and most of us prefer to lie because the truth is scary.

But since I’ve begun practicing self-awareness more deliberately, my life has massively improved. Knowing yourself makes living easier.