When Self-Confusion Is Adaptive-and an Underrated Superpower

"Self-confusion is a part of development, because as we change and grow, we surprise ourselves¹, and this creates an impetus to try to understand ourselves better in the world. As Herminia Ibarra observes in a now-classic article, "The Paradox of Authenticity"², that appeared in the Harvard Business Review, we are likely to feel inauthentic when trying out new behavior. Authenticity"

"Awareness. Knowledge of and trust in your motives, feelings, desires, strengths and weaknesses Unbiased Processing. Objective processing of positive or negative self-relevant information without denial or distortion Behavior. Acting in accordance with your true self, values, and preferences Relational Orientation. Valuing and achieving openness and truthfulness in close relationships. The experience itself can range emotionally from pleasant, to neutral, to negative. And by definition, it can be complicated and hard to make sense of, especially in the moment when emotions are heightened."

Self-confusion commonly arises during personal development as changing circumstances and growth produce surprises that prompt self-understanding. Authenticity rests on four interrelated factors: awareness, unbiased processing, behavior, and relational orientation, which can clash or synergize during change. Emotional responses to confusion range from pleasant to negative and can be difficult to interpret when emotions are heightened. Confusion often impairs reflective and critical thinking and creates urgent discomfort that encourages internalized self-criticism, supplying dysfunctional certainty. Confusion can reflect an internal double-bind that complicates decision-making and authentic action.

Read at Psychology Today