How, she wondered, could she appraise her own performance and be assured that she was not just fooling herself? After all, by definition, a delusion is an inability to process the world as it is. It is a deceit. How could she know that she was not deceiving herself? How could anyone in a position of authority be truly self-aware?

Her friend thought for a few long minutes before replying, “By asking that question.”

It’s not the most satisfying answer — I’ll grant you that — but it is a good answer. Someone who is self-deluding would be unlikely to sincerely question, well, anything for fear of bursting the bubble of delusion.

She resolved then to continue to check in with herself by regularly wondering, “are you fooling yourself?”

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