Before we buy a used car many people get it inspected.  And when we buy a house we hire an inspector to do the same thing.  Even when we rent a place, we do a walk through and note any damage or issues before we get too far along.  A car or home inspection by a expert allows us to understand the issues with our new purchase before we buy it, but also tells us what needs to be repaired and when.  An inspection provides awareness and insight not only on surface issues, but also on some hidden and unseen ones.  But how do we do that on ourselves?  How do we get our thinking inspected, or our behaviours analyzed that may be causing us problems, or that might in the future?  Increasing our self-awareness is no different than getting a new home inspected, it provides us with insight and awareness of the actual problems and potential future issues.  And developing the depth of self-awareness is a combination of deep personal reflection, feedback from those around you, and professional support to dig "under the hood" and to provide you with the knowledge to take the required action to maintain and improve.  It is interesting that many people see no problem with this approach when it's about material possessions, but who are also resistant when it comes to their own being.  Instead we need to embrace this thought and this approach, as our being is the most important possession we have. 

Look outside and you will see yourself.  Look inside and you will find yourself.  Anonymous

To know yourself, you must sacrifice the illusion that you already do.  Anonymous

Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate. Carl Jung