Lesson 1 kNOWING Oneself
Lesson 1 kNOWING Oneself
Lesson 1 kNOWING Oneself
Personal
Development
Quarter 1 – Module 1:
Self-Development
What I Know
Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of
paper.
1. Self-development is ____________.
a. believing you are good
b. knowing God existence
c. taking steps to better oneself
d. the effort to be known in the community
8. Read thyself as explained by Thomas Hobbes can lead person to learn more
____________.
a. of himself/herself
b. of his/her society
c. by studying in school
d. by studying with books
13. The author of the old saying “Knowing others is intelligence; knowing
yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true
power.” is ____________.
a. Plato
b. Lao Tzu
c. Aristotle
d. Confucius
What’s In
Start knowing yourself better. Kindly work with a partner and assess how
well you know yourself by listing down your values, characteristics and/or traits
using the Four Quadrants of Oneself. (Be guided by the instructions below.) Be able
to discuss to your teacher and/or classmates the result of this activity using your
output.
I. Values you know well you possess
II. Values you and others knew you possess
III. Values you and others hardly knew you possess
IV. Values others knew well you possess
I II
Well-known by self alone
III IV
Well-known by others alone
Hardly known by self and
others
What’s New
Self-Development
As an adolescent you may indeed agree with me if I say that it is during this
year that you find most important to know ourselves deeper. You most of the time
find yourself asking what do you really want or why do you really like doing these
things or being with these people.
You may find it queer that you are starting to ask several questions in your
mind but you’ve got to understand that you are not the only person who experienced
it. Most of the people have at some point of their lives have encountered themselves
beginning to be more inquisitive about what or why do they want do the same things
they love to do or be with the people whom they find themselves comfortable with.
Now that you are in your middle or late adolescence, we can say that you may have
discovered changes in your life, or in your behavior or attitude that makes you eager
to understand why.
The clear answer is you are beginning to study yourself better which is part of
Self-Development. Self-development means is taking steps to better yourself, such as
by learning new skills or overcoming bad habits. It also means efforts toward self-
fulfillment, either through formal study programs or on one's own.
(https://www.yourdictionary.com/self-development). We also call this personal development.
On the other hand, examining yourself, most specifically how you react on
things, your belief traits, and values is one of the most complicated things to do in the
world. You have to understand that it has to go on a process and not just a simple
homework to be done.
This lesson will be of great help for you to rediscover yourself better. Let us
start by knowing some concepts of understanding one self.
Know Thyself
“An unexamined life is not worth living”, this is one of the famous line once
uttered by one of the greatest philosophers of Ancient Greek in the person of
Socrates.
Know Thyself is an old maxim or aphorism which in time has been used in
varied literature and consequently gained different meanings. One meaning is
transcribed in The Suda.
“The Suda” is the encyclopaedia of Greek knowledge in the 10 th century
claiming that know thyself is applied to those whose boasts exceed what they are
and that it is a reminder for an individual not to attend to the opinion of others.
In later years Thomas Hobbes discussed his own views about the maxim
from which he used the phrase “read thyself” in his famous work The Leviathan. He
stressed that an individual can learn more by studying others and that he/she can
do this by engaging himself/herself to reading book. However, Hobbes emphasized
that a person learns more by studying oneself.
He further elaborates his views about know thyself from which he states that
a man who look into himself/herself and consider contemplating on what he/she
did or what he/she think, reason, hope and fear of etc. and to what grounds
he/she feels all these can consequently learn how to read and learn others’
thoughts and passions in similar occasions.
Thus, this statement leads us to the realization that knowing oneself is the
open door that leads us to knowing others better.
Self-Concept
Self-concept is the totality of our beliefs, preferences, opinions and attitudes
organized in a systematic manner, toward our personal existence. (Sincero, 2019).
This means that it is in the mind that we know everything about ourselves
like our identify, passion, interest, feelings, intellect thus everything that we are
comes from the mind.
The Id. Freud explains that it is the seat of every man’s desire and want for
it is driven by pleasure principle. This is also the first part to develop for it is
present from birth. Perhaps, you have notice than an infant will cry if he/she wants
to be fed to satisfy his/her hunger. The infant would not give any reason why
he/she wants food nor think if it’s already time to be fed. You may have noticed
also that babies do grab things and would want to get things on their hands not
minding if it hurts nor if it is important or not. All he/she wants is to get it for
he/she wants to have it. This is the nature of Id, however, this instinct is controlled
by the ego and superego as these aspects are developed in man’s life.
The Ego. This aspects operates according to reality which make it possible
for the Id to work in a more proper and satisfactory ways. The ego will give a more
socially accepted means of getting the desires and wants of a person. Ego will
provide the person guidelines on how to behave appropriately while the person
fulfilled his/her pleasure. (Cherry, 2019).
The Superego. This is the last component of personality which holds our
moral judgments or concept of right and wrong that are believed to be acquired
from the family and the environment. Freud believes that superego begin to
manifest as a child turns 5. (Cherry, 2019).
What I Can Do
Now you are ready to do this activity, you are to know yourself better. Recall
the most important event/s of your life which you believe you have discovered
yourself more. Complete the road map below. Consider the instructions given.
1. Title of the Road Map Choose a title that will sum up your life.
(Concentrate on the
problems/experiences you will feature
on this road map.)
11. Home Coming State your reason why would you choose
the same path you had taken that
brought you where you are now.
12. Home Bound Describe how blessed you will live your
life in the future knowing that you
strongly believe that you all have the
traits/values you need to stay strong
whatever problem/s that may come in
your life.
Assessment
Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a
separate sheet of paper.
1. What explains the phrase “read thyself” of Thomas Hobbes?
a. it is the effort toward self-fulfillment.
b. an individual can learn more by studying others.
c. must not boost and attend to the opinion of others.
d. learning through one’s experiences and achievements
11. Why did Lao Tzu say that Mastering yourself is true power?
a. Mastering ones personality will give you courage to do everything.
b. Knowing yourself will effectively increase your strength and
positive traits.
c. Being familiar with one’s personality is an really an advantage for one
to outstand the rest.
d. Knowing oneself will allow one to respond to a situation according to
his/her behavior.
13. What is the probable reason why The Suda reminds people not to be
affected by others opinion?
a. Others people point of view is very belittling.
b. People have tendency to forget old teachings.
c. Self-concept does not concentrate on people’s opinion.
d. Self-concept does not value the point of view of others towards oneself.