Know Thyself

You know that question, the one that goes something like: "If you could go back in time and say 2 words to your 18 year old self, what would you say?" My first thought is usually along the lines of "Buy Bitcoin". However, that bit of advice wouldn't have done me very much good for quite some time, and then I think about how if I had become a Bitcoin billionaire, how much different I may be now. I might be dead, broke, unhappy, etc. I think that it is more likely that it would be a negative thing based on what suddenly becoming wealthy statistically does to people. So I have concluded that this is advice I wouldn't give my 18 year old self.

Instead I would tell that young man "Know Thyself". Wow, big revelation there Jack. Its practically a cliche', and it hasn't been an original thought since the ancient Greeks. Relax, there is nothing new under the sun. In fact I would bet that someone had figured this out long before Socrates. Besides, there is a huge difference between hearing and understanding. So I want to write about my understanding of this ancient wisdom.

How do I get this girl to like me?

That is a question that many a young man, present company included, ask himself. The answers to this question often fall into a category that could be labeled "pretend to be someone that you are not". I know, your favorite guru told you that Alpha males get all of the chicks, or to neg a girl, or to be mysterious, or to leave her last text unanswered. This type of advice can be placed into a larger category called "manipulation". Granted you can tell yourself lies often enough to make yourself believe them, but that ultimately isn't good for your soul.

The real gem here is not knowing how to get a particular girl to like you, it is to know whether or not you would actually like her. How then would you answer that question without first knowing who you are? Maybe this chick likes to make her boyfriends jealous, and you are by nature someone prone to react negatively to jealousy? What if this girl has no sense of humor, and you have a great sense of humor? What if she loves literature, and you don't enjoy reading for pleasure? The larger point here is by knowing who you are, that narrows down what kind of girl you would actually enjoy being with the most. This is how you begin to lay the foundation of a good relationship.

I want a good job

This is a loaded one innit. Is it a range of compensation? Is it an important/prestigious title? Is it the ability to work unsupervised? In order to know what constitutes a good job for you, you have to first know what kind of working conditions are intolerable for you. I know guys who work in blue collar fields that earn as much as MDs. The environments in which a Doctor practices medicine is 180 degrees from the environment of the guy who owns and operates a highly successful landscaping business, or an underwater welder. By knowing who you are at a young age, this will actually help you decide what career to choose. I could have spent the last couple of years earning over $150/hr, 12hr shifts, 60hrs per week. Well, I hate being away from my family, and they have quite the disdain for this themselves. So travelling too far was out of the question. I have a bad back, working 36hrs a week on a hospital floor is already hard enough. So knowing this allowed me to avoid family problems, and potential career problems had I not been able to meet the physical demands of such a contract. Knowing what your preferences and tolerances are allows you to choose a career that does not suck the life force straight from your body.

You're fine just the way you are

(No, you're not, nor am I)

The reality of knowing yourself has significance that is far greater for your life than just love or career (although these are big ones). Knowing who you are at your core allows you to determine which parts of you need improvement as well. As much as popular culture loves to cram this idea down the throats of the masses, this is a lie that damages the individual as well as society at large. Need evidence? Go on your favorite social media site and give it 5 minutes. I guarantee you will see some rando spouting the most retarded shit you ever heard, whilst being convinced that they are some sort of genius (I blame participation trophies, and too much feminine influence in the institution...I mean public school system). Has a more mediocre group of individuals ever lived in the history of the world? (probably, actually). Tangent aside, the point is that knowing yourself means knowing your weaknesses. Improving upon your weaknesses is how you become: stronger, healthier, more interesting, and ultimately wiser.

And that my friends is how you get the girl, the dream job, etc. By knowing yourself, you will be a better man. You will have more to offer potential girlfriends, while having a better shot at having a stable relationship. You will be a better boss/bigger asset to your employer. You will be a better father, and you will have a better life. This is why I would tell that much different, far younger, version of myself this valuable key to wisdom.

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