We lie to ourselves when we don’t examine our deepest motives. And when we lie to ourselves, we inadvertently lie to others too. We might not feel that we’re being dishonest, but they might pick up on our contradictions and think we’re deliberately trying to deceive them.

There is nothing more important than knowing yourself. We don’t come into the world automatically knowing ourselves well. Experience alone isn’t enough either. A lot of introspection is needed too. A basic education in psychology can also be very helpful.