People often ask themselves, «Am I even in a state of awareness, or am I not? How can I tell?»
They strive to achieve complete awareness. However, people frequently confuse the concept, attempting to define awareness through strict parameters. They think of it as:
- Zero: A state of partial awareness.
- One: A state of complete awareness.
The fundamental truth is that there is no such thing as zero or one. There is no person who is entirely unaware, and there is no person who is fully aware.
Comparison tends to follow. Someone might ask, «Can I be as aware as that person?» or «Is it possible to outline specific parameters that define awareness?»
Any effort to reduce awareness to a list of criteria inevitably aligns with the idea of «one»
This is how the parameter-based system works: if all criteria align with «one», then you’re labeled as «fully aware». If you meet all ten criteria, congratulations—you’re an aware person.
These kinds of lists are commonly shared nowadays:
- 10 Signs You’re a Confident Person.
- 15 Traits of Emotional Stability.
- 5 Ways to Know You’re a Certain Type of Person.
However, in nearly all of these lists, such as those for emotional stability, it’s easy to envision a scenario that would disrupt the criteria. For example, if your mother is shouting at you, how would you respond? You might say, «I stay calm and composed.» What if a child yells at you? Again, you might claim calmness. You could check off all 15 points and consider yourself emotionally stable.
But what if you were surrounded by a million people shouting continuously for 15 days? Would you still remain emotionally stable? Most likely, you’d immediately respond, «Of course not! What a ridiculous question!» At that point, you would no longer qualify as emotionally stable.
An Example of Unattainable Awareness
Let’s examine an example of a parameter that’s impossible to achieve:
Imagine writing down at the end of the day that every single minute, you were in a state of awareness—observing yourself, your decisions, and your actions. Every minute of the day, without exception.
This task is absolutely unachievable.
Someone might say, «Fine, I’ll lock myself in a room and sit there from morning to night, observing myself» But even then, you wouldn’t be able to do it.
If you’re thinking, «But aren’t there teachers, gurus, or other individuals who can do this?» simply accept this idea as a theoretical possibility. Avoid diving into unnecessary conflict or debate.
A Simple Action Instead of Complete AwarenessInstead of striving for complete awareness every minute, you can try a much simpler approach: remind yourself at least once an hour to observe yourself. Reflect on everything:
- Your emotional state.
- What’s happening with your physical body.
- The causes and effects of your ideas, actions, and impulses.
This is serious awareness.
This is what you should aim for—not perfect actions but the development of awareness.
A very common pattern is when people change their tactics, strategies, or behavioral models every three to six months. They’re always searching for the “right” solution. They receive advice, implement it, and spend six months immersed in it, yet remain in a state of unawareness throughout.
Why keep chasing simple solutions endlessly?
If you enter a state of awareness—if you cultivate the habit of observing yourself—you’ll naturally start making far better decisions. You’ll make them consciously, not under the influence of delusion.
Awareness is the fundamental starting point for scaling and developing yourself as an individual. To move toward genuine awareness, it’s crucial to recognize that awareness has no endpoint. It’s a continuous process—an ongoing journey. The key is to observe yourself.