I’m sure you have heard the phrase “know thyself” many times. A maxim that originated in Greek philosophy and later adapted into Latin, know thyself is a simple yet powerful phrase. Simple because all it requires is self examination yet powerful because it requires self examination.
Knowing who you are – what makes you do the things you do, like the things you like – can be a daunting but very rewarding task. For instance, I have always known that I have varying interests. These interests are not just tied to hobbies but also to the different types of skills, labor and “social classes” (for the record I dislike classifying by social status). I can appreciate and desire both blue collar and white collar jobs.
Thinking about that flexibility I have recently realized about 30% of the time I enjoy what is commonly attributed as upper society – the arts, philosophical discussions, galas, opera. 70% of the time though I prefer typical middle-class things – maintaining and improving my house, the music of blues, blue grass, punk rock, cookouts, game night with friends, sports. So for me I’m a 30-70 person, and I’m ok with that, in fact I like it. I like my balance of interests.
What about you? Do you know yourself? Do you know what makes you tick, what interests you currently have, or what may be starting to develop? Knowing yourself is a key step in finding and pursuing your passions. Sometimes you know who you are and look for ways to pursue that, others times it takes searching and trying things to find out who you are. Either way in the end your passion, that good and pure passion, is built on learning to know thyself.
Attempt it. Chance it. Try it. Get to It!