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It seems there is always something new to discover. Depending on our age and circumstances, our top priority will invariably differ, but what are we looking for beyond our basic needs?
We sometimes hear the term ‘I need to find myself’ when searching for some elusive purpose which may help make sense of our current mindset. The instinct to go forth and discover appears in many different forms and the variety of what we search for is vast.
From our first treasure hunt to choosing where to go on holiday, physical discoveries are perhaps the most obvious. For example, Scott and Shackleton furthered their quest for geographical exploration with their first trip to Antarctica on the aptly named RRS Discovery. These days, with virtually every surface of the earth known to us, discovering some unknown land may be less likely. However, visiting new places often stimulates important internal machinations. Our brains whirr away as we deliberate new thoughts and feelings to help us discover who we are and what we desire. This is arguably the most important research we will ever do as the decisions we make will affect our present and future selves!
As such, identifying what we want and how to achieve it is complicated. If it is a new job, it may be a relatively simple process such as gaining new qualifications. If it is a new passion, trial and error may be the way to unearthing it. Whatever we do choose to pursue, our interest will undoubtedly stem from that first moment which piqued our interest.
During the decision process, three important factors to consider could be survival, security, and success. Survival would include food and shelter, security could be a steady career and expanding our basic needs, but what would define success? And do we misinterpret the first two as proof of the latter? However we define it, one important trait is worth remembering: be yourself and do what you enjoy.
Knowing others is intelligent.
Knowing yourself is enlightened.
Lao-Tzu