"I am the smartest man in the room...". I don't know whether Jeffrey Skilling, the disgraced, soon to be incarcerated ex- Enron chief ever said these words, or if they were appended as evidence of hubris. But I like it, it's appropriate because I think I am that man, that person. Just not in the same way as he apparently thought of himself.

So why have I pinned this label on to myself? It's self awareness, this: I don't like stress, especially if it's work related. Forget who said this exactly, though I'm leaning towards Plato, but the sense of being smart that I'm steering towards necessitates this - "Know Thyself" -a fine, precise sentiment.

In many ways I do, in more I don't, remember we are infinitely complex personalities, fragile and imperfect. I do know that I never want the chest pains or near panic attacks or the need to take drastic steps to lower seriously elevated blood pressure which two of my colleagues very recently slipped into conversations earlier this week.

Knowing what I can do, the complete awareness of what my upper operating limit is, beyond which I can purposefully do no more, along with what to do when the stress dashboard starts to flash red does in such a strange way comfort me.