@basilesamel said “I came to the conclusion “know thyself” is both the way to live and the meaning of life. The how and the why.” This is so true, so well said. I really like that the most important things in life, or life itself, have this weird, ironic, counter-intuitive dynamic to it.

Where the process is the outcome; 

the journey is the destination;

the medium is the message;

the question is the answer;

the means justify the ends.

I just turned 40, and this ironic truth couldn’t be more true. Every time I thought I knew myself, it slips away. Because if “know thyself” is a way to live, a journey than a destination, a process constantly unfolding instead of done, your knowledge about yourself at that moment is at best, a working hypothesis. It is liable to change when new information emerges. Things I was so sure about when I was 30, are now bullshit at 40. 

Like my career path. I thought I found it in my 30s. I thought for the rest of my life, I will dedicate my life to pursuing social good, in some form or another. It started out being in the non-profit sector. Then, I went into government. Now, I’m no longer so sure this is the path. Other things call out to me now - craftsmanship, travel, family, coding. Perhaps there IS no path. The path is just walking, and adapting to life as it unfolds. There’s no destination, just journey after journey.  That career path in my 30s was someone else’s journey which looked really compelling and attractive to me at that time, when I’m more idealistic and energetic, wanting to change the world. Perhaps too much. Now the idealism is better complemented by groundedness and a realistic sense of the nature of the world. Best of all, that idealism now is complemented by a desire for play. A friend told me after 40 is where the real fun begins - and I can’t wait!