If you’re familiar with 12 Step programs, you might remember that Step 4 is the Truth, i.e., “Make a searching and fearless written moral inventory of yourself.”
There’s a reason they say *searching and fearless* — it’s hard to be honest about yourself. (Especially in writing.)
John Wesley and his Holy Club used to do that every day (not in writing). They had a list of questions to help them do it. Here are the first two:
- Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
- Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
I should mention that I hate those questions and rarely do this.