Know Thyself

Know thyself.

Those words, inscribed in gold letters on the temple of Apollo at Delphi, are probably the most important two-word phrase ever chiseled or written.

Know thyself is a process comprising two critical elements: self awareness and self understanding.

This two-part process is a critical and decisive first step on the Project You Life Journey. Without it, the journey will not only be bumpier and off-centered, but will also feel unnatural, contrived and artificial.

Self awareness is a heightened sense of continuous attention to one's feelings, emotions and thoughts. Self understanding is being aware of your thoughts about your feelings, emotions and beliefs and mindful of the impact these are having on your contemplated, intended or actual actions. When combined and integrated, these elements lead to self definition.

As American actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein wrote, it is critical to "accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself."

More than anything, our book Project You: Living A Determined Life is for those desiring to become their true, optimal selves.

Those on a Project You Life Journey have several characteristics in common that effectively create the Project You persona:

• Valuing the potential in themselves and others.
• Exuding hope and optimism, even in difficult times and circumstances.
• Willingly giving of themselves through sharing wisdom, resources, networks, contacts, ideas and, most important of all, hope and optimism.
• Deep knowledge and understanding of themselves, combined with self confidence in their thoughts and actions.
• Little or no need to seek approval or validation from others.
• A love of life and a love for life.
• A sense of urgency, without putting undue pressure or stress on themselves or others.
• Believing that life-long learning is an integral part of who they are.
• Willingness to give the benefit of doubt to others, realizing that everyone is simply doing the best that they can at the time.
• A full understanding that they are a work in progress, based on the realization that they are developing A Determined Life by thinking of their self development and growth as a holistic project.
• A desire to live and develop all seven aspects of life with vitality and in sync with both their human and spiritual needs.

As you embark on your own personal Project You Life Journey, it may be useful to start by embracing these quotations from three highly different individuals and philosophical beliefs:

Open your eyes to choices, but do not let go of your values.

The Dalai Lama

 

Be yourself ─ everyone else is already taken.  

Oscar Wilde

 

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Live your own life.

Steve Jobs

 After all, as Henry James wrote, "Now is the time to start living the life you dreamed."