Life isn't about finding yourself. It's about...

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

"Finding yourself" seems to imply that there's only one possible version of you that can exist, and you're on a quest to find it.

But this couldn't be farther from the truth.

For instance, just because you're innately shy doesn't mean you can't take public speaking courses that will help bring you out of your shell.

And just because you were dreadful at math as a kid doesn't mean you can't work at bettering your math skills, paving the way for a successful career as math teacher or financial analyst.

With drive and hard work, we can will ourselves to become any way we like. We have more of a hand in shaping our future and achieving goals we set for ourselves than most of us readily acknowledge or realize.

Unfortunately, many people choose to down a path different from what their heart desires because they want to fit in with or please others. In that case, you're not forging your own path, but one that someone else has in mind for you. Think about the multitude of people who choose to pursue a given vocation or relationship on someone's else's advice, even though they know deep down it isn't what they truly want.

You can't reach your fullest potential unless you do things on your terms. You can't "create" yourself if you're shunning the attributes that make you unique rather than embracing and cultivating them.

And one can argue that a more fitting word than "creating" would be "recreating." As people evolve over the course of their lives, their experiences often cause their attitudes, beliefs, and interests to shift, sometimes in a completely different direction. What you valued as a 22-year-old college student isn't the same as what you espouse as a 70-year-old retiree -- that's for sure.

While the way we think about and perceive the world, the people around us, and especially ourselves may change, you should always chart your own course. Never be led to think that embracing your individuality is a bad thing.

There's only one of you in the world. You came into it as an original; don't leave it as a copy. Create the you that you want to be remembered by, even if it doesn't line up with what others envision.

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