You Are Not As Self-Aware As You Think You Are
Buy the book
‘You Are Not As Self-Aware As You Think You Are’ was published by Practical Inspiration Publishing in October 2025.
About the book
-
Most of us assume we know ourselves reasonably well. But self-awareness is more complex than simply knowing our strengths, weaknesses or personality.
In You Are Not As Self-Aware As You Think You Are, Julia Carden draws on her doctoral research, coaching practice and own developmental journey to explore what self-awareness really is, why it matters and how it develops.
The book challenges some of the assumptions we make about being self-aware and offers a practical way to think about ourselves, our relationships and the choices available to us.
It is written primarily for leaders, but its ideas are relevant to anyone interested in understanding themselves more deeply and working more effectively with others.
-
Moving beyond the familiar language of strengths, weaknesses and personality to understand the different elements that make up self-awareness.
Why self-awareness matters
How our awareness of ourselves shapes the way we think, lead, make decisions, respond to uncertainty and relate to other people.
How self-awareness develops
Why becoming more self-aware isn’t something you complete. It is an ongoing process of reflection, experience and learning.
What gets in the way
The assumptions, blind spots and patterns that can make it difficult to see ourselves clearly.
How to put it into practice
Practical exercises and questions throughout the book to help you turn insight into greater understanding and choice.
-
The book grew out of Julia’s PhD research into self-awareness within adult development at the University of Reading.
Her research examined how self-awareness is understood and developed, particularly in the context of coaching and working with others. It has since resulted in four peer-reviewed papers and continues to inform her work with leaders, coaches and organisations.
The book brings that research into a practical, accessible format.
What readers are saying
“You Are Not As Self-Aware As You Think, is a beautifully written book that takes a deeply personal and immersive dive into the importance of self-awareness for leaders. The book is full of useful tools and techniques for self-reflection and personal growth. Having experienced first-hand Dr Carden’s skill as an executive coach, I would thoroughly recommend this book for any leader wishing to enhance their effectiveness as a leader.”
Matt Cook, Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive, Avon Fire and Rescue Service “Anyone Julia has coached will recognise how much practical wisdom and useful structure she has captured in this book. Beyond this, she has created a thought-provoking book that also works at a deeper level. Julia challenges conventional notions of self-awareness by raising incisive questions about the interplay between the inner self and our connections with others.”
Dr Chris Dalton, Associate Professor of Management Learning, Henley Business School“Anyone Julia has coached will recognise how much practical wisdom and useful structure she has captured in this book... It’s a book that prompts deep reflection, not just for the people we coach, but for ourselves too. A must-read for leaders and coaches alike.”
Dirk Anthony MSc PCC, Executive Coach and ConsultantAccess developing self-awareness supporting documents
Put the book into practice
The book is just one part of Julia’s work on self-awareness.
Julia works with individuals, teams and organisations to turn the ideas in the book into practical reflection, development and change.
Explore Julia’s research and insights, discover her work with leaders and coaches, and find out how she works with organisations to bring self-awareness into leadership development and organisational practice.
For leaders
For coaches
For organisations
