When Self-Confusion Is Adaptive—and an Underrated Superpower
Psychology Today | 01.01.2026 00:18
It is more or less normal to be confused about oneself, in various ways, at various times, under a range of circumstances. Self-confusion is a part of development, because as we change and grow, we surprise ourselves¹, and this creates an impetus to try to understand ourselves better in the world. As Herminia Ibarra observes in a now-classic article, "The Paradox of Authenticity"², that appeared in the Harvard Business Review, we are likely to feel inauthentic when trying out new behavior. Authenticity researchers Kernis and Goldman (2006) cite four factors³ of authenticity, and, in the process of change, they may clash with one another, or synergize—depending on how we approach self-confusion.
