“Who am I”? Knowing yourself and where you are going

Menanteau Serfontein – 29 December 2020. Updated 20 January 2021.

Question: Do you think it is useful and important for you to fully know and understand:

who you truly are? If so, why?
what your vision/desires/purpose in life is and whether you are on the right track?

Before we get into the detail of specific values and principles, there are a few realities that one needs to come to terms with in order to maximise one’s mental health and to live a meaningful and fulfilled life. It is essential to have a healthy and accurate understanding of “who we truly are” (i.e. the “real self”), and what our purpose and destiny is. All of us should come to terms with “who am I”, “where have I come from”, “where am I now” and “where am I going”. It is useful to periodically make an honest assessment of issues such as the following:

What do I truly believe and what values do I treasure most and live by
How do I truly see myself
What are my interests and passions, what do I really like to do, what do I really care about and in what types of activities do I feel most comfortable
What is most important to me, what drives and motivates me (“what makes me tick”)
What am I really good at
What am I not interested in and what do I do not like doing
What are my strengths and weaknesses
How can I build on my strengths
What can I do to improve my areas of weakness
What is the extent of the health of my body, soul and spirit and are they in balance
What were the principles, values and habits that I have learnt and adopted when I grew up and during my life to date
Which of these principles, values and habits have been worthwhile and assisted me to function effectively as a well-adjusted person
Which of these principles, values and habits have had a negative impact and have been counter-productive
Which of these counter-productive aspects would I like to change
How do I see/regard others; is it all about me or do I also take a genuine interest in other people
How do other people see and regard me
In addition to my narrow interests and passions, am I also pursuing things of significance that are bigger than myself
What do I want to be remembered for
If my life were perfect, what would it look like

This type of assessment will assist you to obtain much greater clarity about who and what you truly are and could serve as a platform to formulate a vision/mission statement for your life going forward. It could also assist in ensuring that you set objectives and embark upon activities that are worthwhile, uplifting and a source of immense satisfaction. There is nothing wrong in pursuing your personal dreams and goals, as long as your whole existence does not revolve only around yourself (self-centredness) and your selfish needs and wants.