INSTANT MBA: Most People Don't Know Themselves As Well As They Think

Today's advice comes from Hiroshi Mikitani, CEO of Rakuten Inc., via LinkedIn:

"How well do you know yourself? You may think that you of all people would be the one to know yourself best, but human beings are often quite mistaken at this assumption ... the key to success is knowing the areas in which you are strong and the areas in which you are weaker. When you know your strengths and weaknesses, you can position yourself to be as successful as possible in any given situation."

Mikitan says first, you need to develop metrics to test your ideas and find ways to measure your progress. Second, you should seek feedback from others. Finally, reflect on your past successes and failures and see if there is a recurring mistake. This is an exercise that will expose the successes you’ve already had and the areas in which you need to improve.

"If you fail to know yourself well, you miss opportunities for self-improvement. That may leave you stalled while others who are more self-aware fill in their skill gaps, improve their own performance efforts, and pass you by."

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