Welcome to QuickCast. Today we’re asking: are you as self-aware as you think? Researchers point out two kinds of self-awareness: the introspective variant—searching “deep down” for who you really are—and the interpersonal variant—knowing “who you think other people think you are.” As Charles Cooley said, “you are who you think other people think you are.” Even ChatGPT weighed in: “I don’t have a self to be aware of,” yet it can simulate self-awareness by adapting to your feedback.

The problem? Most of us are terrible judges of ourselves. We overestimate our talents, suffer from “delusional optimism,” and ride waves of contagious overconfidence. We dismiss negative feedback to protect our ego.

So what can you do? Try these four hacks: 1) List adjectives you think describe you, then compare with how others describe you. 2) Let generative AI turn your social media into a personality profile. 3) Ask for truly uncomfortable feedback. 4) Watch people’s actions, not just their words.

In the end, swapping ego for insight may be the most human thing you do this week.
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