Acharya Prashant addresses the idea of being aware of one's strengths and weaknesses, stating that the answer is multi-layered. He begins by acknowledging that while it is fine to be aware of them, there is a caveat: the very definition of strength or weakness is often quite weak itself. This is because it is usually a borrowed definition, not one's own. He presents two scenarios. The first is a person who is mistaken about themselves because they do not assess themselves at all. The second is a person who does assess themselves, but on parameters and criteria provided by external forces like society and education. The speaker asserts that the second situation is not far better than the first. He gives an example of a person who is not self-conscious at all, versus another who is very particular about knowing their progress and standing, but does so using benchmarks provided by others. This second person is not necessarily in a better position. When you say something is your strength, how do you know it is your strength at all? Similarly, when you measure your weaknesses, how do you know that a particular thing is a weakness? The speaker explains that different cultures and communities have different beliefs about what is valuable. For instance, in some cultures, being brash is considered a virtue and a strength, while not being so is seen as a weakness. In other circles, being diplomatic is a virtue. These definitions are not absolute. The fundamental question, therefore, is what is valuable in life, and who you are at this moment. Only by knowing yourself can you determine what is good for you, which can then be called a strength, and what pulls you down, which is a weakness. He warns against living as an imposter by wearing a mask or facade. This happens when you adopt an image that benefits you publicly, even if you internally know it's not your true self. Over time, you can forget you are wearing a mask, and it becomes riveted to your face. This is a dangerous situation, as it creates a constant need to be alert, not for truth, but to maintain the false image, much like a thief's alertness. The sage's alertness, in contrast, is to keep their insides from being polluted by falseness. Your only obligation is towards your own welfare, not to your past or to the beliefs of others, including your own past beliefs.