"Every one rushes elsewhere and into the future, because no one wants to face one's own inner self." ~ Michel de Montaigne
As a normal human being, you prefer to be told what to do rather than to tell your self what to do; you want to be inspired; you are influenced from external sources; and you want your life instructions delivered in neat and convenient little packages—you want a list of things to do—you want to find pieces of information that describe, step by step, how the author of the information and the author’s friends, business associates, and/or people they have studied, have manufactured immense financial wealth.
The author, to satisfy these wants, will then proceed to explain in simple and concise detail how you can strike it rich, or at least how to avoid being poor, just as he or she (or those other fortunate subjects) did. You want to believe that these so-called rich people are self-made individuals who simply adhered to this list of things to do and henceforth produced massive wealth and uninterrupted happiness. And, of course, this list of things to do will work the same for you and every other person that reads it! After all, a clear and paved road is much easier to travel than a path that does not yet exist--your own path.
Normal is to prefer to take a few short steps to find what you want, rather than taking many uncertain steps to find what you really need.
Even better, your brain’s shortcut criteria will have you follow in someone else’s steps. Saying or knowing what to do, however, whether your pursuit is financial or otherwise, cannot be responsibly accomplished without first knowing who you are. If you purpose in life is to fly, reading information on how to swim is, at a minimum, a tragic distraction!
And thus you have arguably the greatest problem with most financial books and media messages: They are lists of things to do that have great potential to distract or to draw you away from who you are. Obtaining self-knowledge is not necessarily a complex and arduous series of self-assessment tests, but rather a function of the uncovering of your self from layer upon layer of social conventions, media noise, other people and language… and if you discover that your purpose is to fly, you will know not to buy a book about swimming, no matter how attractive swimming may appear!
You must create your own list of things to do; but first you will find it necessary to create a list of things to undo!
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Related:
The Deconstruction of Social Conventions & the Unlearning Process
Wonderful post. One of the best I've read on this site.
Clear the clutter and find the essence is something I have been trying to do for years. It's not easy when you have more interests than there are hours in the day. I guess I could say I'm on the path and a work in progress.
This post is a great reminder to stay the course.
Thank you so much.
Posted by: Steven of Chicago | March 06, 2011 at 05:08 PM
Steven: Thanks for the generous compliment. I believe the beginning of solving any personal challenge is self-awareness.
By virtue of being aware of your own negative tendencies you are given the capacity to overcome them.
The "list of things to do" is an example of the human desire for shortcuts and preference for outside answers. Knowing (self-awareness) that you want outside answers may help in the prevention of following them when not necessary.
Illusion dissolves in the face of awareness.
Cheers...
Kent
Posted by: Kent @ The Financial Philosopher | March 06, 2011 at 08:54 PM
Bit late to comment but this is a great post!
Posted by: Scott | April 09, 2011 at 11:54 PM