This opening chapter orients readers to self-study as a stance toward professional practice and introduces the reflective, recursive, and relational habits that guide the work. It outlines the book’s structure—framed by guiding questions, reflective prompts, and activity breaks—and invites readers to locate their own entry points into self-study through context, collaboration, and curiosity. Drawing on the authors’ experiences as learners and mentors of self-study, the chapter emphasizes that learning self-study is cyclical rather than linear, grounded in questioning, dialogue, and growth. By the end, readers are prepared to approach the book not as a procedural manual but as a companion for inquiry, treating their professional practice as a living site of reflection, research, and becoming.