Knowing yourself is hard work. Each of us have different life experiences that often prevent us from truly knowing ourselves. As the years age us, we have additional opportunities to understand those past and current life experiences and how they impact the knowledge we have or think we have about ourselves.
“As the years go by, you get to know yourself better and learn what works for you.”
Marie Helvin
In my executive consulting practice, I had the hard and raw data that people knew what they didn’t do well over 92% of the time. However, these same individuals from CEO’s to Salespeople to even private individuals, did not know what they did well.
Miguel Cervantes shared these words of wisdom in the novel Don Quixote:
“Make it your business to know yourself,
which is the most difficult lesson in the world.”
We are bombarded with promotions of products to make us beautiful, healthy, more alert, etc. Often, I think some of these folks are seeking the quick fix as a means to avoid knowing their selves.
As a poorly self educated philosopher (that was my first minor in college), I often find the words of past philosophers relevant as human nature does not appear to have changed much over time.
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
Aristotle
“To find yourself, think for yourself.”
Socrates
“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. “
Lao Tzu
Then there are the more contemporary thinkers.
“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside awakes.”
Carl Jung
“There is no substitute for accurate knowledge. Know yourself, know your business, know your men.”
Lee Iacocca
"To know yourself as the Being underneath the thinker…is freedom, salvation, enlightenment.”
Eckhart Tolle
My sense is these words by Carl Jung capture the essence of knowing yourself.
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”
Carl Jung
I believe I can say at this point in my life I do truly know myself and even better I am satisfied and happy with that knowledge.
To thine own self be true.
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Leanne M Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent Who Goes the Extra Mile Because Life Begins Where the Pavement Ends.
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