Why ignore truth or reality?
Why not confront the truth and change it for the better?
Those who ignore reality are said to be in denial.
When you have a set-back in life, sometimes you will go in denial.. whether it be losing your job, losing your girl, or realizing that you are not what you should be. In order to get over these things you need to come to terms on why they originated. If you ignore the causes, you will just fall right back into the trap. This is the basis of self-improvement.
If you lie to yourself, then there isn't much left of you that is worth anything. If you cannot be truthful with yourself, then you cannot continue to improve.