Mastering Yourself: The Key to Consistent Success (Samuel Teaches Young Executives)

(Illustrative only)

Samuel teaches young
executives that looking
inward as much as you look
outward will foster
their success. 

If you want to be successful,
first come to understand yourself.
What are you good at, 
what do you want to do, how do 
you react, what are your 
patterns of thinking, how do
you solve problems, etc...

To be a strong manager
you must first master yourself.

 Personality and emotional intelligence shape many parts of our lives. You can be highly skilled and knowledgeable, yet still struggle when frustrations arise if your reactions come too quickly or without reflection. Our personalities often form in childhood, and as we grow older, we tend to repeat those early patterns unless we make the effort to examine them.

Variation in personality is not only normal—it’s essential. As a species, we don’t benefit from everyone having the same cookie-cutter traits. So when someone insists that a certain way of being is “right” or “wrong,” that’s usually an oversimplification. Every personality has helpful and unhelpful sides. Awareness allows us to identify those patterns and adjust them so they actually solve problems instead of creating new ones.

Human survival hinges on diversity of thought and temperament. If we all behaved and reasoned identically, we wouldn’t adapt well. Throughout history, both great and flawed leaders have emerged because of their personalities. The strategists, engineers, artists, philosophers—these different roles exist because people think and react differently.

Most of us naturally strive to grow and overcome our challenges. The key is to understand your own personality: know your strengths, know your weaknesses, and recognize how they show up in different situations. Don’t be thrown off by people who speak boldly or loudly—confidence isn’t the same as capability, and it doesn’t always fit every circumstance.

Real awareness comes from reflection. Sometimes others can mirror our behaviors back to us, though their interpretations aren’t always accurate. Ultimately, self-awareness helps you distinguish what’s genuinely yours from what others project onto you. When you understand your tendencies, you can pause, choose better responses, strengthen your natural advantages, and navigate obstacles with more consistent success.

Thinking about personality Confucious once said, 

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."

How your personality impacts your career success (and what you can do about it)