I agree with this entry from The Daily Stoic in that lots of people don’t know themselves. I think I know why that may be: self-knowledge is difficult. Examining yourself and knowing yourself inside and out can be quite draining and even demoralizing at times. Shedding light on your psyche can reveal a lot of unpleasant things lurking underneath the surface, so self-knowledge is definitely not for the faint of heart. The insights it provides can be incredibly valuable, however, so I still think it’s worth pursuing.
“Death lies heavy upon one who, known exceedingly well by all, dies unknown to himself.”
-Seneca, Thyestes, 400
Some of the most powerful and important people in the world seem to have almost no self-awareness. Although total strangers know endless amounts of trivia about them, celebrities – because they are too busy or because it hurts too much – appear to know very little about themselves.
We can be guilty of the same sin. We ignore Socrates’s dictum to “know thyself” – often realizing we have done so at our peril, years later, when we wake up one day and realize how rarely we have asked ourselves questions like: Who am I? What’s important to me? What do I like? What do I need?
Now – right now – you have the time to explore yourself, to understand your own mind and body. Don’t wait. Know yourself. Before it’s impossibly late.