essay personal philosophy about understanding yourself

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August 7, 2018 | Kenneth Best - UConn Communications

Know Thyself: The Philosophy of Self-Knowledge

Dating back to an ancient Greek inscription, the injunction to 'know thyself' has encouraged people to engage in a search for self-understanding. Philosophy professor Mitchell Green discusses its history and relevance to the present.

From Socrates to today's undergraduates, philosophy professor Mitchell Green discusses the history and current relevance of the human quest for self-knowledge. (Getty Images)

UConn philosopher Mitchell S. Green leads a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) titled Know Thyself: The Value and Limits of Self-Knowledge  on the online learning platform Coursera. The course is based on his 2018 book (published by Routledge) of the same name. He recently spoke with Ken Best of UConn Today about the philosophy and understanding of self-knowledge. This is an edited transcript of their discussion.

Q. ‘Know Thyself’ was carved into stone at the entrance to Apollo’s temple at Delphi in Greece, according to legend. Scholars, philosophers, and civilizations have debated this question for a long time. Why have we not been able to find the answer?

A. I’m not sure that every civilization or even most civilizations have taken the goal to achieve self-knowledge as being among the most important ones. It comes and goes. It did have cachet in the Greece of 300-400 BC. Whether it had similar cachet 200 years later or had something like cultural importance in the heyday of Roman civilization is another question. Of course some philosophers would have enjoined people to engage in a search for self-understanding; some not so much. Likewise, think about the Middle Ages. There’s a case in which we don’t get a whole lot of emphasis on knowing the self, instead the focus was on knowing God. It’s only when Descartes comes on the scene centuries later that we begin to get more of a focus on introspection and understanding ourselves by looking within. Also, the injunction to “know thyself” is not a question, and would have to be modified in some way to pose a question. However, suppose the question is, “Is it possible to know oneself, either in part or fully.” In that case, I’d suggest that we’ve made considerable progress in answering this question over the last two millennia, and in the Know Thyself book, and in the MOOC of the same name, I try to guide readers and students through some of what we have learned.

Q. You point out that the shift Descartes brought about is a turning point in Western philosophy.

A. Right. It’s for various reasons cultural, political, economic, and ideological that the norm of self-knowledge has come and gone with the tides through Western history. Even if we had been constantly enjoined to achieve self-knowledge for the 2,300 years since the time Socrates spoke, just as Sigmund Freud said about civilization – that civilization is constantly being created anew and everyone being born has to work their way up to being civilized being – so, too, the project of achieving self-knowledge is a project for every single new member of our species. No one can be given it at birth. It’s not an achievement you get for free like a high IQ or a prominent chin. Continuing to beat that drum, to remind people of the importance of that, is something we’ll always be doing. I’m doubtful we’ll ever reach a point we can all say: Yup, we’re good on that. We’ve got that covered, we’ve got self-knowledge down. That’s a challenge for each of us, every time somebody is born. I would also say, given the ambient, environmental factors as well as the predilections that we’re born with as part of our cognitive and genetic nature, there are probably pressures that push against self-knowledge as well. For instance, in the book I talk about the cognitive immune system that tends to make us spin information in our own favor. When something goes bad, there’s a certain part of us, hopefully within bounds, that tends to see the glass as half full rather than half empty. That’s probably a good way of getting yourself up off the floor after you’ve been knocked down.

Q. Retirement planners tell us you’re supposed to know yourself well enough to know what your needs are going to be – create art or music, or travel – when you have all of your time to use. At what point should that point of getting to know yourself better begin?

A. I wouldn’t encourage a 9-year-old to engage in a whole lot of self-scrutiny, but I would say even when you’re young some of those indirect, especially self-distancing, types of activities, can be of value. Imagine a 9-year-old gets in a fight on the playground and a teacher asks him: Given what you said to the other kid that provoked the fight, if he had said that to you, how would you feel? That might be intended to provoke an inkling of self-knowledge – if not in the form of introspection, in the form of developing empathetic skills, which I think is part of self-knowledge because it allows me to see myself through another’s eyes. Toward the other end of the lifespan, I’d also say in my experience lots of people who are in, or near, retirement have the idea they’re going to stop working and be really happy. But I find in some cases that this expectation is not realistic because so many people find so much fulfillment, and rightly so, in their work. I would urge people to think about what it is that gives them satisfaction? Granted we sometimes find ourselves spitting nails as we think about the challenges our jobs present to us. But in some ways that frequent grumbling, the kind of hair-pulling stress and so forth, these might be part of what makes life fulfilling. More importantly, long-term projects, whether as part of one’s career or post-career, tend I think to provide more intellectual and emotional sustenance than do the more ephemeral activities such as cruises, safaris, and the like.

Q. We’re on a college campus with undergraduates trying to learn more about themselves through what they’re studying. They’re making decisions on what they might want to do with the rest of their life, taking classes like philosophy that encourage them to think about this. Is this an optimal time for this to take place?

A. For many students it’s an optimal time. I consider one component of a liberal arts education to be that of cultivation of the self. Learning a lot of stuff is important, but in some ways that’s just filling, which might be inert unless we give it form, or structure. These things can be achieved through cultivation of the self, and if you want to do that you have to have some idea of how you want it to grow and develop, which requires some inkling of what kind of person you think you are and what you think you can be. Those are achievements that students can only attain by trying things and seeing what happens. I am not suggesting that a freshman should come to college and plan in some rigorous and lockstep way to learn about themselves, cultivate themselves, and bring themselves into fruition as some fully formed adult upon graduation. Rather, there is much more messiness; much more unpredictable try things, it doesn’t work, throw it aside, try something else. In spite of all that messiness and ambient chaos, I would also say in the midst of that there is potential for learning about yourself; taking note of what didn’t go well, what can I learn from that? Or that was really cool, I’d like to build on that experience and do more of it. Those are all good ways of both learning about yourself and constructing yourself. Those two things can go hand-in-hand. Self-knowledge, self-realization, and self-scrutiny can happen, albeit in an often messy and unpredictable way for undergraduates. It’s also illusory for us to think at age 22 we can put on our business clothes and go to work and stop with all that frivolous self-examination. I would urge that acquiring knowledge about yourself, understanding yourself is a lifelong task.

Q. There is the idea that you should learn something new every day. A lot of people who go through college come to understand this, while some think after graduation, I’m done with that. Early in the book, you talk about Socrates’ defense of himself when accused of corrupting students by teaching them in saying: I know what I don’t know, which is why I ask questions.

It seems to me the beginning of wisdom of any kind, including knowledge of ourselves, is acknowledgment of the infirmity of our beliefs and the paucity of our knowledge. — Mitchell S. Green

A. That’s very important insight on his part. That’s something I would be inclined to yell from the rooftops, in the sense that one big barrier to achieving anything in the direction of self-knowledge is hubris, thinking that we do know, often confusing our confidence in our opinions with thinking that confidence is an indication of my degree of correctness. We feel sure, and take that surety itself to be evidence of the truth of what we think. Socrates is right to say that’s a cognitive error, that’s fallacious reasoning. We should ask ourselves: Do I know what I take myself to know? It seems to me the beginning of wisdom of any kind, including knowledge of ourselves, is acknowledgment of the infirmity of our beliefs and the paucity of our knowledge; the fact that opinions we have might just be opinions. It’s always astonishing to me the disparity between the confidence with which people express their opinions, on one hand, and the negligible ability they have to back them up, especially those opinions that go beyond just whether they’re hungry or prefer chocolate over vanilla. Those are things over which you can probably have pretty confident opinions. But when it comes to politics or science, history or human psychology, it’s surprising to me just how gullible people are, not because they believe what other people say, so to speak, but rather they believe what they themselves say. They tend to just say: Here is what I think. It seems obvious to me and I’m not willing to even consider skeptical objections to my position.

Q. You also bring into the fold the theory of adaptive unconscious – that we observe and pick up information but we don’t realize it at the time. How much does that feed into people thinking that they know themselves better than they do and know more than they think they do?

A. It’s huge. There’s a chapter in the book on classical psychoanalysis and Freud. I argue that the Freudian legacy is a broken one, in the sense that while his work is incredibly interesting – he made a lot of provocative and ingenious claims interesting – surprisingly few of them have been borne out with empirical evidence. This is a less controversial view than it was in the past. Experimental psychologists in the 1970s and 80s began to ask how many of those Freudian claims about the unconscious can be established in a rigorous, experimental way? The theory of the adaptive unconscious is an attempt to do that; to find out how much of the unconscious mind that Freud posited is real, and what is it like. One of the main findings is that the unconscious mind is not quite as bound up, obsessed with, sexuality and violence as posited by Freud. It’s still a very powerful system, but not necessarily a thing to be kept at bay in the way psychoanalysis would have said. According to Freud, a great deal with the unconscious poses a constant threat to the well-functioning of civilized society, whereas for people like Tim Wilson, Tanya Chartrand, Daniel Gilbert, Joseph LeDoux, Paul Ekman, and many others, we’ve got a view that says that in many ways having an adaptive unconsciousness is a useful thing, an outsourcing of lots of cognition. It allows us to process information, interpret it, without having to consciously, painstakingly, and deliberately calculate things. It’s really good in many ways that we have adaptive unconscious. On the other hand, it tends to predispose us, for example, to things like prejudice. Today there is a discussion about so-called implicit bias, which has taught us that because we grew up watching Hollywood movies where protagonist heroes were white or male, or both; saw stereotypes in advertising that have been promulgated – that experience, even if I have never had a consciously bigoted, racist, or sexist thought in my life, can still cause me to make choices that are biased. That’s a part of the message on the theory of adaptive unconscious we would want to take very seriously and be worried about, because it can affect our choices in ways that we’re not aware of.

Q. With all of this we’ve discussed, what kind of person would know themselves well?

A. Knowing oneself well would, I suspect, be a multi-faceted affair, only one part of which would have to do with introspection as that notion is commonly understood. One of these facets involves acknowledging your limitations, “owning them” as my Department of Philosophy colleague Heather Battaly would put it. Those limitations can be cognitive – my lousy memory that distorts information, my tendency to sugarcoat any bad news I may happen to receive? Take the example of a professor reading student evaluations. It’s easy to forget the negative ones and remember the positive ones – a case of “confirmation bias,” as that term is used in psychology. Knowing that I tend to do that, if that’s what I tend to do, allows me to take a second look, as painful as it might be. Again, am I overly critical of others? Do I tend to look at the glass as overly half full or overly half empty? Those are all limitations of the emotional kind, or at least have an important affective dimension. I suspect a person who knows herself well knows how to spot the characteristic ways in which she “spins” or otherwise distorts positive or negative information, and can then step back from such reactions, rather than taking them as the last word.

I’d also go back to empathy, knowing how to see things from another person’s point of view. It is not guaranteed to, but is often apt to allow me to see myself more effectively, too. If I can to some extent put myself into your shoes, then I also have the chance to be able to see myself through your eyes and that might get me to realize things difficult to see from the first-person perspective. Empathizing with others who know me might, for instance, help to understand why they sometimes find me overbearing, cloying, or quick to judge.

Q. What would someone gain in self-knowledge by listening to someone appraising them and speaking to them about how well they knew them? How does that dynamic help?

A. It can help, but it also can be shocking. Experiments have suggested other people’s assessments of an individual can often be very out of line with that person’s self-assessment. It’s not clear those other person’s assessments are less accurate – in some cases they’re more accurate – as determined by relatively well-established objective psychological assessments. Third-person assessments can be both difficult to swallow – bitter medicine – and also extremely valuable. Because they’re difficult to swallow, I would suggest taking them in small doses. But they can help us to learn about ourselves such things as that we can be unaccountably solicitous, or petty, or prone to one-up others, or thick-skinned. I’ve sometimes found myself thinking while speaking to someone, “If you could hear yourself talking right now, you might come to realize …” Humblebragging is a case in point, in which someone is ostensibly complaining about a problem, but the subtext of what they’re saying might be self-promoting as well.

All this has implications for those of us who teach. At the end of the semester I encourage my graduate assistants to read course evaluations; not to read them all at once, but instead try to take one suggestion from those evaluations that they can work on going into the next semester. I try to do the same. I would not, however, expect there ever to be a point at which one could say, “Ah! Now I fully know myself.” Instead, this is more likely a process that we can pursue, and continue to benefit from, our entire lives.

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Philosophical Perspective of Self Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Rene descartes, meditations on first philosophy, second meditation summary and analysis, analysis and definition of “i”, other definitions of self, works cited.

Throughout history, the philosophical perspective of “self” has received myriad descriptions and analyses from many philosophers, researchers, and even scholars. In gaining this understanding, these people are important in explaining how the knowledge of this concept affects the world and how people perceive themselves and their ultimate relationships with others.

An understanding of “self,” therefore, affirms a person’s identity in a social environment, allowing him/her to recognize others besides oneself (Sorabji 13). In other words, the way human beings socialize solely depends on how they perceive themselves and others through daily social interactions.

Innumerable philosophers, including Socrates and Aristotle, have immensely contributed towards gaining clarity in defining “I.” Yet, it is believed that some have been quite outstanding with regard to their input. In this category lies Rene Descartes, whose findings remain essential in defining the concept of “self” and how this definition affects people’s thinking and interactions.

This paper goes far ahead in synthesizing Descartes’ findings to achieve a concise definition of the word “I” that seems reasonable and critical from a philosophical perspective of the “self.” This essay further digs into several research findings unearthed by renowned scholars and experts who have devoted their time and resources to studying and exploring the definition and how it influences interpersonal relationships in one’s life.

By compiling ideas from an array of thinkers, this philosophy of “self” essay intends to explore the implications of defining “I” in a given manner and how such a stance would affect our self-reflection and perceptions of ourselves or how we treat ourselves. The survey also focuses on how these definitions would affect our knowledge of ourselves and the world outside our “selves.”

Born in 1596 in France, Rene Descartes was a great philosopher, thinker, writer, and mathematician who spent his adulthood in the Republic of Dutch. He has arguably been dubbed as the father of modern philosophy with special emphasis on the Western school of thought (Smith 1).

As a result, his pieces of writing remain key reference materials for scholars across the global plane. For example, meditations continue to serve as principal textbooks in most universities’ philosophy departments today. His contribution to mathematics set unbeaten records, with his efforts being widely applied in calculus and geometry. In the development of natural sciences, his input cannot go unnoticed.

He believed philosophy was a mega entity encompassing all aspects of knowledge expressed through it. Although most of the works and thoughts have been widely considered, there has been a strong emphasis on Meditations on First Philosophy. As mentioned before, this essay will emphasize the second meditation in defining the concept of “I,” also known as “self.”

These meditations are considered the origin of modern Western philosophy. In this coverage, Descartes criticizes most of Aristotle’s arguments and designs questions that have remained debatable in the world of philosophy today. He breaks from the norm created by Aristotle that knowledge is achieved through human senses and that mental statuses usually resemble what they are. As such, Descartes is able to develop brand new concepts about the mind, ideas, and matter (Frankfurt 185).

In this portion of his findings, Descartes explains the nature of the human mind and that it is better than the body. His research revolves around the search for certainty and ignores every idea that carries any slightest doubt. Throughout his memory, Descartes believes that whatever he happens to see is actually meaningless and may not ever exist in real life (Descartes 17).

As a result, we can view place and movement as mistaken notions in human life since lack of certainty is the only certain thing that exists in his life. This is essential in defining ourselves and our existence.

Is it possible for Descartes to believe that he does not have a body and senses, yet he exists? What about the nonexistence of the physical world, as proposed by the author? Ironically, he can only posses these doubts of nonexistence if he truly exists.

In other words, one can only be misled by the devil from within if he does exist. As such, “I” has to exist in order to doubt and be deceived by the evil one. Nevertheless, it can generally be viewed that “I” is a necessary and true preposition when suggested by somebody or conceived in one’s own mind (Descartes 72).

After conceiving the existence of “I,” the mediator does not stop at this particular point but aims at defining and explaining the meaning of the “I am.” This approach makes it possible to be certain that we possess a soul which augments our thinking, nourishment, movement, and sensibility. Furthermore, human beings have a body (Frankfurt 185).

Regardless of these initial doubts, many people sink into a ditch of doubts and hang on to the fact that one has the ability to think. In other words, our existence does not solely depend on the above-mentioned attributes of human beings, but we have no doubt about our breathing power.

This implies that thinking is essential for a person to exist regardless of whether he has other qualities like body and soul, among others. By the fact that thinking defines “self,” it is possible to relate it with human existence and consider it inseparable from being. From a general perspective, we can view one’s self as simply “thinking something.”

The definition of “I” is enshrined in Descartes’ cogito argument based on its formulation in Latin, “cogito ergo sum,” translated as “I think, therefore, I am.” This line is quite famous in the history of philosophy and is most probably regarded as the origin of Western philosophy and other schools of thought that developed after Descartes. In this line, the mediator gets in touch with a grip of certainty after his continuous disbelief is manifested in the First Mediation (Frankfurt 186).

In essence, the cogito exposes a different view of the world and states that the mind is the only thing in the world that can know itself. Notably, understanding our mind first before any other thing has remained rooted in Western philosophy, even though the main point of contention has been the connection between the mind and the real world. From this perspective, the mind is no longer an aid to understanding the world but an internally locked thing (Frankfurt 186).

In analyzing Descartes’ Second Meditation, it is of immense significance to note the existing differences between “I think, therefore I am” as described in the Discourse Method from the general formulation derived from meditations.

At this point of the synthesis, it is imperative to mention that the proposition “I am, I exist” holds only when it is put forward by a specific individual and conceived by the person’s mind. The mediation is further divided into an argument of three steps, which are: whatever thinks exists, I think therefore, and I exist (Frankfurt 188).

However, in understanding “self” through syllogistic reading and analysis, denied by Descartes in other pieces of writing is the fact that there is no reason why “whatever thinks exists” should not be doubtful as portrayed by the mediator. This reading approach further analyzes the cogito as a conclusion that has been reasoned out at a specific point in the doubtful mind of the mediator, even when inferences that have been well reasoned out are called to doubt (Frankfurt 189).

The question we need to ask ourselves in this definition of self is the path somebody takes to know the cogito when everything else is doubted. As a result, several proposals have been put forth as reading formats and methodologies aimed at simplifying this reading process and step (Frankfurt 202). It would be impossible for a person to say he/she exits or even thinks of existence without being in a real state.

Consequently, the truth is achieved by the utterance concerning the concept of existence. In this line of thought, it can be argued that the existence of a person can only be confirmed by oneself in the present tense, “I am.” It is also important to double emphasize the fact that cogito can only work when one is talking about thought. One cannot say: “I sleep, therefore I am,” since the act of sleeping can be doubted. In explaining this, one cannot doubt the act of thinking because doubt on its own is a form of thought.

Besides cogito , the mediator also affirms that he “thinks,” leading to an argument commonly referred to as sun res cogitans (Rorty 215). This comprises three controversial views regarding one being a “thinking thing.” In this approach, it is essential to comprehend the meaning of “thing” and “think” to establish their definitive relationship with “I am.”

There are two approaches to defining “self” at this point. This can be done both epistemologically and metaphysically. In other words, body and mind cannot be one since one has got either to know both of them or none of them. As a matter of fact, the existence of the body ceases since one is a “thinking thing with delinked body and mind. This gives way to the conclusion that one is a “thing that thinks.”

With preciseness, “I” can be defined as the “thing that thinks.” In addition, “I” possesses other attributes besides being able to think, understand, and be willing to do certain things. These qualities include but are not limited to imagination and the use of the senses. In the understanding of “I,” it is worth noting that senses and imagination cannot be trusted (Rorty 214). This is because imagination can trigger all forms of things that may not necessarily be real.

How can one identify wax? This is made possible through a sense of taste, color, smell, size, shape, and hardness, among others. When heated, the wax changes some properties but can be identified despite the deviation from the initial form. Due to the fact that wax can be identified even when its shape is infinitely changed, it suffices to mention that this cannot be possible via imagination but through the intellect alone and proper mental scrutiny.

Based on this argument, it can be concluded that the mind knows better than the body. In this approach, the human view is that one has to know the mind more than any other thing in his or her life as a way of understanding the self better (Rorty 214). There is no doubt in perceiving the identity of something, and these actions of thought clearly imply that the item exists in reality. Therefore, confirming one’s existence is the core of ascertaining the nature of the mind through the intellect alone.

As mentioned before, various authors have defined and described the concept of “self” throughout history. According to Sorabji, the idea of “self” is real in human history. He argues that the “self” comes to play when the owner of a body is intertwined with existing psychological states (Sorabji 13).

He further notes that in explaining the “self,” there is a stream of consciousness that lacks the owner. In his description of this analogy, Sorabji asserts that his definition of “self” fits other members like animals as embodied owners of the body. Based on this approach, Sorabji further double emphasizes the fact that there is a need to protect the human way of life and not only base it on its relationship with the “self” or the interaction between members of a given stream (Sorabji 13).

The broadness of “self” also encompasses the picture of human beings developing into male or female, baker or teacher, son or daughter, Indian or American, among other development attributes. Importantly, these cannot be visualized through the metaphysical conceptualization of the “self” because of its narrowness in determining the nature of the pictures to be adopted. Additionally, the pictures are not considered to be essential and are likely to be altered under extreme pressure (Sorabji 14).

However, visualized pictures are important in describing a complete image of selfhood, even though they can be philosophically studied differently. “I am” is also described by the use of unique features, which make human beings different from other creations (Sorabji 14). In essence, thoughts and actions people execute are usually a result of the self. It can be described as a substance that persists through time. This is to say that actions and thoughts experienced at different times of the day or in life may also concern the “self.”

In most cases, philosophical definitions of “self” are discussed based on the first-person attributes. This is because third-person definitions do not identify unique identification properties. Viewed from a different point, the “self” can be principally described through the discourse and conduct of a person.

As a result, intentions can only be deduced from something being observed through actions undertaken by an individual. Of great significance is the fact that the characteristics of a given “self” have the full potential of determining its real identity (Rorty 215).

Based on this analogy, it can be argued that “I” can be divided into various concepts as defined by specific qualities and attributes. For instance, the “self” can be viewed as an illusion (Sorabji 17). This is common in ancient spiritual traditions in which the human identity is conceived as a mere illusion for the existence of individual human beings. This identification further ensures that there is a boundary between humanity and other forms of creation, especially in terms of characteristics and abilities.

In general, individual existence is considered as the representation of a human being and advocates fighting for its rightful position in the world (Rorty 216). Moreover, “self” is linked with time and mind, which determine obsessive thinking based on the future than emphasizing the present. Most religions advocate for the dissolution of humans for human nature to prevail in the world. This is commonly known as nirvana, presence, or enlightenment.

Besides viewing the self as an illusion, other philosophers approach the concept by considering the “self” as an activity. Among these philosophers were Aristotle and Plato, who defined the human soul as the principal essence of humanity but posited against differences in existence.

Unlike Plato and other religious traditions who supported separate existence, Aristotle viewed the human “self” as an activity of the body which lacks the properties of becoming immortal (Sorabji 17). To be specific, the soul is viewed as the activity of any living body. In defining the soul, Aristotle divided his argument into four major parts, including the desiderative, calculative, rational, and scientific parts.

Another renowned philosopher and psychologist today who defines “self” is Dr. Phil. He believes that a person dwells on a state of fictional self or authentic self as created by the Supreme Being. According to Dr. Phil, most people define who they are by explaining what they are doing, where they are, or their role in society.

However, Dr. Phil argues that one’s authentic self encompasses the genuine existence of a person’s identity (McGraw 1). This is to say that an authentic self demonstrates core human qualities. Additionally, the self is made up of the part of an individual that is not defined by profession or a given role in society. It consists of an individual’s talents, skills, and wisdom.

The psychologist further argues that an authentic self revolves around a person’s uniqueness, including abilities, rather than what he/she is expected to do or become. This, therefore, implies that when an individual does not live to the standards of his authentic self, he adopts a fictional self that has emptiness and incompleteness (McGraw 1).

It is doubtless that the definition of “self” has a wide range of implications. For instance, this knowledge affects the way human beings view themselves differently from animals. It gives them an understanding of their uniqueness and potential in using their senses to recognize their surrounding and their imagination ability.

Additionally, the definition of self impacts how we interact with and perceive others. In other words, human beings are able to appreciate others regardless of their shortcomings and differences since each one of them possesses unique qualities and attributes.

Although numerous philosophers have devoted their lives to defining the “I am” concept, Rene Descartes is regarded as the father of Western philosophy and a great contributor to several schools of thought. In particular, Meditations on First Philosophy has widely been used as learning at teaching materials across the globe.

Descartes, Rene. Meditations on First Philosophy . Sioux Falls: NuVision Publications, LLC, 2007. Print.

Frankfurt, Harry. Descartes’ Discussion of His Existence in the Second Mediation. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis, 2004. Print.

McGraw, Phillip. “Self Matters.” Dr. Phil , 2012. Web.

Rorty, Amélie. Essays on Descartes’ Meditations . California: University of California Press, 1986. Print.

Smith, Kurt, “Descartes’ Life and Works.” The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2012. Web. < https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2010/entries/descartes-works/ >.

Sorabji, Richard. Graeco-Roman Varieties of Self. New York, NY: Springer, 2008. Print.

• Rene Descartes: A Brief Perspective
• David Hume: The Ideology of Self
• Descartes' and Buddhist Ideas of Self-Existence
• A Miracle as an Extraordinary Happening Occurring in the Physical World
• Philosophy Is Worth Doing
• Proof of an External World
• Rene Descartes and John Locke
• Sophist Reasoning: Reality Perception
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2018, October 31). Philosophical Perspective of Self Essay. https://ivypanda.com/essays/who-am-i/

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Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Philosophical Perspective of Self Essay." October 31, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/who-am-i/.

Life Philosophy 101 – An Introduction

Personal life philosophies are not a common subject and quality information on them can be difficult to find. They can tend to be grouped with other more prescriptive philosophies or reduced to personal slogans like bumper stickers or t-shirts.

Personal Life Philosophies are unique in that there are as many of them as there are individuals. Just as no two people are alike, no two life philosophies are the same. We each have our own basis for understanding ourselves, our lives and the world and our own aspirations for how we seek them to be.

This introduction touches on the essential knowledge that everyone should have to understand personal life philosophies, why they are essential life tools and how they can enrich your life.

Introduction to Life Philosophy Resources

These key concepts establish a common foundation of knowledge.  This foundation will be helpful as you develop and live your personal life philosophy.

Start here if you are unfamiliar with life philosophy or want a refresher. Expand each of the sections if you would like more in depth information.

Life philosophy can be a tricky subject to embrace. There are common misconceptions that can bias your understanding and lead you to avoid the whole topic.  

Understanding these misconceptions can stop them from preventing knowing and embracing your unique personal philosophy.

Just as we all have our own life philosophy; we all have our own way of learning.

If you prefer, choose the topics you want to cover in the order that works best for you.

Key Concepts about Personal Philosophies

• What is a personal philosophy?

A personal life philosophy is your unique understanding of and perspective on the world and life including how you think life should be lived and the world should be.

Why does this matter? Your personal philosophy is a way to crystalize and make real your understanding of the world and life to help you make sense of it, know what is essential, sharpen your vision and bring clarity to a complex world.

The concept of a personal philosophy is something that is unique and something that is not generally well known or widespread, at least personal philosophies that are well developed and that can bring real value to one’s life. One can wonder why this is so, especially considering the importance of one’s personal philosophy . 

In general, personal philosophies include things like your most essential truths and insights about, and highest aspirations, for life and the world. They bring value to your life both through the process of developing them and through helping make more definite thoughts and feelings that can be abstract and difficult to readily access and use in your life.

A personal philosophy encapsulates what is most essential, of great consequence, vital, enlightening and imperative. It is based upon what captures your imagination, demands your attention, comes naturally to you, incites you to action, inspires you, infuriates you, drives you or frees you to the greatest degree.

Personal philosophies are typically stated in a written form such as a set of principles or tenets and sometimes are written in an essay format, though they can take any from that you find useful.

Note: There are a series of related terms used for referring to personal philosophies including personal philosophy on life, living philosophy.  Just about every conceivable combination and variation of the words philosophy, life and personal that are used to refer to personal philosophies.  Here, the terms personal philosophy, personal life philosophy and life philosophy are used interchangeably.

• What is life philosophy?

Life philosophy is the development and application of your personal philosophy to your life.  Life philosophy includes two primary components: your personal philosophy and the ongoing act of making it real through developing and living it.

Why does this matter? Personal philosophies that cannot be or are not used in one’s life, may be interesting to contemplate and discuss over an adult beverage, but they cannot enrich your life unless you actually use them in it.

Beyond the potentially transformational experience of developing a personal philosophy, most of its value is realized through living it. A personal philosophy that is only vague concepts or even one is well formed but unused is of little value. Your personal philosophies can be of great value, but only if it is clear to you and made real in your life. Living your personal philosophy is how you realize the value of it for yourself and the world. There are a wealth of practical and enriching ways that your personal philosophy can be used in your life .

• Why should I put effort into developing my personal philosophy?

Although each of us naturally has the basis for our personal philosophy, most of us do not understand our basis in ways that help us or in ways that we can make use of. Developing your personal philosophy clarifies it for you and helps you gain active knowledge of it.

Why does this matter?   The experience of developing your personal philosophy includes connecting with what is essential to you in the world, which is a rewarding and enriching experience itself. Most importantly developing and actively knowing your personal philosophy enables you to use it in your life and realize the value it can bring .

When following a good approach for developing yours, you start to realize the value early in the process. Because of the nature of personal philosophies, you necessarily need to consider your perspective on the world and to understand your thoughts and feelings about it.  Most of us do not take the time or invest the effort into actively working to understand our perspective on the world and ourselves. Developing your personal philosophy gives you an opportunity to indulge in doing so in a way that gets around much of the challenge of being too actively introspective, or touchy-feely. With the right approach, getting in touch with your perspective on the world and yourself is rewarding, freeing and simply enjoyable. You may even find it an experience that is affirmational or transformational.

Beyond the enriching personal experience, developing your personal philosophy will clarify your unique understanding of the world and life for you and make it something that you actively know. A personal philosophy that is just thoughts and feelings floating around in your mind has about as much value as a personal desire to become Yoda. It may be an interesting thought, but it probably won’t go much further than that. Your personal philosophy needs to be clear to you and something that you actively know. Clarity is critical so that when you need to use it in your life you don’t have to sort through it to figure out how it applies. Actively knowing your personal philosophy allows you to use it in your life. Not being able to clearly remember your personal philosophy makes it difficult to use in the moment. If you have to refer back to it in some written form it probably doesn’t have the clarity needed to be a real and present part of your life. Part of developing your personal philosophy is crafting it to be clear so that you can and actively know and use it in your life in large and small ways.

The importance (value) of your personal philosophy in life.

Your personal philosophy begins to bring value to your life through the experience of developing it and continues to do so for the rest of your life. It will help you make sense of the world, understand what is meaningful to you, clarify your insights, motivate and inspire you, and help you find and maintain your direction.

What does this mean to me?  Your personal philosophy is a real-world life tool. Without it you are in many ways unequipped for life in an increasingly complex and difficult world for you as an individual.

The process of developing your personal philosophy necessarily requires being in touch with the world and yourself.  The experience of doing so in a concerted, intentional way helps you crystalize what is meaningful in the world to you.  This is one part of the reason why you should put the effort into developing your personal philosophy .

Beyond the experience of developing your personal philosophy, the real importance of a personal philosophy is that it equips you for life in a complex world in ways that can be difficult to do otherwise. Knowing and understanding your essential truths about, and aspirations for, life and the world as well as what you value and what is meaningful to you helps you with some of the most challenging aspects of life. Many of the traditional sources that people have relied upon for these answers are outdated and not relevant in today’s world. Without a personal philosophy you can be left searching for answers when challenges in life arise. Your personal philosophy helps you make sense of life and the challenges you encounter. It also helps you identify things you do that are out of sync with what you place value in and be a source of strength for changing them. It will help you fend off the constant barrage from others trying to make you do and think what they want you to. It provides a clear source of personal direction that can help with difficult or important decisions that you need to make in life. It can help you better understand your unique insights about life and the world and make the most of them. It can even inspire you to do something that is wildly aspirational that you would likely not do without the clarity, vision and meaning that your personal philosophy makes real for you. Knowing and living your personal philosophy will help you be more effective in the world and help you to contribute to realizing the things that you aspire for life and the world to be.What

Why aren't personal philosophies taught on a wider basis?

The primary purpose of education in most parts of the world is to produce individuals that are effective members of society and productive workers. Secondarily the concept of personal philosophies and the individual or “self” are relatively new (see the brief history of personal philosophies ).

Why should I care about this? A personal philosophy is something that is not needed to be a productive worker or effective member of society. It is needed if you are going to live an engaged, meaningful life that aligns with who you are and what you seek for your life and the world to be.

The value of education cannot be overstated. Knowledge is empowering. Self-knowledge, like that used in one’s personal philosophy, is an especially powerful form of knowledge. Unfortunately, self-knowledge is something that most of us must learn on our own without significant guidance or education about it. 

An important part of developing a personal philosophy is quality self-knowledge. While some education systems do seek to develop the individual, but even they do not overtly educate individuals on developing self-knowledge. The concept of personal philosophies, the self and self-knowledge are relatively new. Most education systems are based upon century old theory and have not kept up with these concepts or integrated them into their method and curriculum. Imagine if our education systems sought to help people become self-aware, develop self-knowledge and become more enlightened about life and the world, instead of just seeking to produce productive contributing members of society. 

A personal philosophy is something that can help you get beyond the narrow vision and relatively low expectations that many educational systems have for you. It can help you become more self-aware, more knowledgeable and more enlightened about life and the world.

What can be included in your personal philosophy?

Anything that you think or feel is essential to your understanding of and perspective on life and the world. 

Why is the point?   There are some things that can be helpful to include to make your unique personal philosophy more valuable in your life, but in the end, it is up to you. 

A personal philosophy is the encapsulation of one’s most essential truths about, and aspirations for, the world, life and one’s self. That said, you can choose what to include in yours. To be able to apply your personal philosophy to your life, it is helpful if one includes things that you uniquely understand about life and the world, or your truths, and how you would like to see the world be, or your aspirations. The two together create a view of what you know about the world that is most significant to you, how you think life and the world should be and your desires for them. Your personal philosophy can include anything you find essential such as what you place value in and find especially meaningful. If there are other aspects of your understanding of yourself, life or the world that you think are substantive, you should include them.

One of the key attributes of your personal philosophy is that it draws upon your unique knowledge of the world and yourself. The types of knowledge that can be used in your life philosophy are those encompassed by knowledge in a broad sense. Often the concept of knowledge is constrained to specific types of knowledge such as that which is taught through formal education or that which can be attained through science and reason. While there are no hard rules about personal philosophies, constraining yourself to narrow definitions of knowledge is limiting. Including what you know beyond your capacity for reason and the realm of scientific proof, such that which you know through emotion and intuition, helps to create a personal philosophy that captures the nature of being human. Einstein’s essay in Living Philosophies is a great example of how this is true. If you are going to apply your personal philosophy to your life, it should be substantive and not oversimplify the nature of life to the point of being of little value in it. It also should not be limited to someone else’s definition of what a life philosophy should entail, or what it should be based upon.  Too, it should not be limited to systems thought and belief that have been formalized and categorized. In many ways, personal philosophy allows you to move beyond these prescribed ways of understanding and create a perspective that is rich in meaning to you.

Including those things that are the most significant to you, especially what sets you apart from others, is one approach. For instance, we all place high value on our families, health and livelihood. These are universal and stating them as a personal philosophy, while perfectly valid, may not be very insightful about your personal truths or aspirations for life and the world. In a similar way, a personal philosophy is not necessarily about defining universal truths or answering life’s big questions such as the purpose or meaning of life. These can be included if your knowledge of them is especially significant to you. Your personal philosophy is about understanding and expressing the things that stand out to you above all others.

• What do I need to know to develop my personal philosophy?

Having a reasonably broad view of life and the world is helpful, as is being able to connect with and understanding your perspective on it. An understanding of personal philosophies is also helpful.

Why does this matter to me?   While having a broad view of life and the world is important, you can never know, feel or experience everything. When you decide to develop your personal philosophy, it is important to use your perspective on the world to the greatest extent possible. Too, your personal philosophy will likely evolve as you and the world change.

Your personal philosophy necessarily draws upon your understanding of life and the world. If you have limited experience with life and the world, it can be helpful to work to expand your perspective. Even if you have an expansive perspective on the world, being in touch with that perspective is important. You may find it helpful to spend some time reconnecting with your perspective on the world as you craft your personal philosophy. Too, you continue to learn and change throughout your life and the world continues to change at a rapid pace. An effective approach for crafting your personal philosophy should help you connect with what is essential in the world to and to understand why throughout your life.

Having a good connection with yourself is also helpful. This connection allows you to understand your perspective on the world including your thoughts and feelings about it. You may find it necessary to work to create this connection, or to reconnect with yourself if you have lost touch. One of the challenges with creating and maintaining it is the constant barrage we are under from others wanting us to think and do what they want us to. A good connection with yourself helps cut through this barrage. An effective approach for developing your personal philosophy will also help.

Like with most things that you undertake, a good understanding of what you are taking on and what is involved with accomplishing it is advisable. Having an understanding of personal philosophies and what is involved with developing one can help you successfully craft yours so that it is valuable in your life.

• Where did the concept of personal philosophies come from?

While the roots of personal philosophies, individual’s interpretations on what is important in the world, can be seen even in the earliest artwork and myths, personal philosophies per se arrived on the scene much more recently.  They appear to have come into general use within the last century or so.

Like most forms of modern thinking, the roots of personal philosophies appear to have evolved along with human thought. Prehistoric evidence for personal views on the world and what is most significant in it are likely captured in the earliest myths and paintings. These early forms of expression undoubtedly included some personal interpretation of the world for practical use. Yet, considering them to be statements of personal philosophy is a stretch at best. The first formal thinking related to personal philosophies dates back to the time of the early thinkers on human condition and the nature of the world that we live in. Religious beliefs and religions evolved from individuals’ personal understanding of the world. Confucius’s writings can be considered a good example of how this happened. Undoubtedly, many of those who have focused their life on the pursuit of philosophy necessarily include what would constitute their own philosophy on life in their work including the first recognized philosophers in the 600-500 BC period. One perspective on philosophy itself is that it can be considered the pursuit of making sense of life and the world. Beyond those who pursued philosophy per se, many great thinkers and people who have put their imprint upon the course of history have recorded their philosophical perspective behind their thinking and actions. Abraham Lincoln is a familiar, notable example, and there are many more. Yet none of these can be considered a personal philosophy per se.

Personal philosophies in the context used here, are prevalent in modern times. In 1931 a volume of Living Philosophies was published by Simon & Schuster and includes short essays about their philosophy on life from notable figures including Albert Einstein. These insightful essays capture their perspective on the world including their beliefs and ideals. Two subsequent volumes were published with essays from other notables, I Believe in 1942 and Living Philosophies in 1990. All of which are worth reading.  These essays seem to come the closest to the concept of personal philosophy as used here. Interestingly the concept of individual identity and the self appears to have come into prominence on a similar timeline, within the last century.

The rapid escalation of the challenges facing humanity in general, the shift away from traditional sources and authorities for answers to life’s important questions, the increasingly difficult global environmental and political situation and the escalating assault on our individuality through the ever-present screens we view all seem to be reasons why personal philosophies are becoming more prominent. In many ways, personal philosophies have become a vital form of empowerment for the individual actualizing their individuality.

Using your personal philosophy in your life.

There are virtually limitless ways that you can use your personal philosophy in your life.  How you do so will vary based upon where you are in life and what is happening in yours.

Your personal philosophy can be made part of your life in ways large and small. In looking at the importance (value) of your personal philosophy in life , we touched upon many of the ways your personal philosophy brings value to your life including as a source of meaning, a source of guidance for important decisions, a source of strength, a source of vision and insight, even a source of inspiration.

Through actively knowing your personal philosophy you can use it in your daily life as you make decisions and to help guide your actions to be in line with how you seek to be. It can be easy to take the path of least resistance or to succumb, even momentarily, to the toxic messaging constantly targeting you. Actively knowing your personal philosophy helps you be more intentional and fend off this and other forces working against you.

Making your personal philosophy a part of your daily life helps keep what you find essential, place value in, and draw meaning from present in your life. It also provides a reassuring sense of understanding and direction through your essential truths and aspirations.

Your life philosophy can help you better understand yourself and your perspective on just about everything and under any circumstances. Having a well-developed life philosophy also allows you to share and discuss it with others, if you choose to.  It can help them understand you and your actions.  Sharing your life philosophy or some part of it can be helpful in many situations such as when you have to explain choices that you make which are different from others or that don’t align with their expectations of you.

Your life philosophy can help you achieve a greater sense of meaning and fulfillment. Some think that it is only possible to achieve higher levels of meaning and happiness through the understanding and awareness that knowing and living a personal philosophy can provide.

Common Misconceptions About Personal Philosophies

• I don’t have or need a personal philosophy.

Short Answer : Everyone has some form of a personal philosophy. Most just have not developed it into something they actively know or use in their lives.

Each individuals’ personal philosophy, including yours, is their unique understanding of the world that is developed into a form that can be actively known and used in their life. When you consider the scope of the human experience, including what we can know and feel and how we can know and feel it, and the diversity of individuals, we all truly have our unique understanding of the world.

There is strength in diversity.  You as an empowered, self-actualized and enlightened individual build upon what it means to be human and for us to collectively be humanity. Understanding your unique knowledge and wisdom about life and the world will help you become an empowered, self-actualized and enlightened individual.

The kinds of changes that are confronting individuals and humanity require something more than for all of us to live and think the same way, or even subscribe to a defined set of philosophic and religious systems. The scales are tipped toward you becoming more like everyone else. The intentional attempt to control your thoughts and actions through messaging and artificial intelligence is invading all aspects of your life. It is an attempt to make you think and behave in ways that others seek for you to. Actively knowing your understanding of the world and your aspirations for it is not only essential for surviving in an increasingly complex and difficult world, it is key to advancing us as humanity and overcoming the crises that confront us now and in the future.

• Personal philosophies are only for big thinkers.

Short Answer : Each of us has a unique understanding of the world and the ability to define our own personal philosophy. Be wary of anyone or any entity that tries to make you think otherwise. Question their motives. 

Society puts undue importance on the personal philosophies of famous people and preserves their perspective through time disproportionally. Historically, this may have largely been a product of our ability to record and publish the thoughts of any one person. It may be no coincidence that as our ability to record our individual thinking and share it broadly the importance of the big thinkers’ thoughts is diminishing.

For some reason, we have a tendency to treat some and their thoughts effectively as idols. We often turn to those that we view as authorities for answers to life’s important questions when the reality is that they are just people and their answers are merely that, theirs. They are not better than the answers that we each have, yet we often place more value in them than our own. 

In the end, you determine your personal philosophy. If you decide to adopt a philosophy or components of a philosophy that is defined by someone else, that is your choice. The important thing is that you have explored the world enough to know what makes sense to you and works for you. Too, nothing in life is cast in stone. The world changes and we all grow and learn. As you do, your personal philosophy should as well.

But it is not only the famous who leave their marks.  Every single one of us has, I believe, a significant part to play in the scheme of things.  Some contributors that go unrecognized may nevertheless be of the utmost importance. 

– Jane Goodall in her personal philosophy within Living Philosophies 1990.

• A personal philosophy is a one sentence maxim.

Short Answer : You’re not a car and your personal philosophy shouldn’t be a bumper sticker.

Everyone likes a concise statement that captures the essence of a common experience in life. It’s also good to have simple rules in life to remind us of basic things we know. They have practical value in specific situations. That said, simple rules of life, even a collection of really good ones do not amount to a personal philosophy. 

An effective personal philosophy encompasses the scope of your unique perspective on life and the world. To be effective it needs to be able to help you make sense of a complex and dynamic world. It needs to be able to help you derive meaning from your life, understand what you value and what you seek for life and the world to be. If you truly can express your personal philosophy in one sentence, beyond likely being an amazing sentence, it would no longer be a maxim that is applicable only in specific situations. It would be a broad, robust expression of your unique perspective on the world and life including your truths about them and how you think they should be.

Like philosophy in general, personal philosophies are esoteric and don’t have practical value.

Short Answer : This misconception is completely understandable. Philosophy is generally something that can be challenging to convert to real world value. Personal philosophies are different as they are practical real-life tools.

Unfortunately, there is not a good substitute for the word “philosophy” in the English language that fully captures its meaning in the sense of being “a set of basic concepts and beliefs that are of value as guidance in practical ways.” When we hear or read the world philosophy, we most often think of one of the other meanings primarily “systems of thought” as in skepticism, pragmatism or existentialism and the famous men (typically) that professed their virtues and argued for their specific flavor as the one best perspective on the world and life. In many ways, personal philosophies are the antithesis of these systems of thought. Personal philosophies are individual perspectives meant to have meaning and value for one individual rather than general principles that apply to all. Applied practical value in life is one of the defining characteristics of personal life philosophies. If a personal philosophy is not of practical value in life, it is not much of a personal philosophy at all.

I already know my personal philosophy. I don’t need to develop it.

Short Answer : If you have and know your personal philosophy, you should be able to state it now in a clear and concise way that you can apply in your life. If not, crafting it into a clear form to you and that you actively know will help you realize real-world value from it.

• I’m just one normal person, my personal philosophy is of no value to the world.

Short Answer : Humanity is a collective of unique individuals. Who we are, what we know, what we will become and what defines us our humanity is determined by the sum total of each of us. Your individuality, including your unique understanding of and perspective on life and the world, has real implications for humanity collectively.

It can be easy to sell oneself short considering the hype and focus given to people with power, money and fame. This is exactly what you are doing if you truly think that your personal philosophy is not of consequence to the world.

At the very least, understanding your unique perspective on the world and life, will hedge off the homogeneity we are being driven toward by the systems and institutions that we have created. Systems and institutions controlled by and for the benefit of those with power, money and fame. Systems, institutions and people that want you to think and act in ways that benefit them. Dismissing the value of your personal philosophy and not developing yours is playing their game. Their game of control lets them have power over you and makes you even more susceptible to thinking and acting like they want you to as long as you are passive to it.

Your personal philosophy will lead you to a better understanding of the world. That understanding will prompt you to take some action to make it better, at least within your immediate world. Developing and knowing your personal philosophy may even lead you to do something that you never thought you would. That action may have implications beyond what you expect, and makes a substantial difference in the lives of others and the course of the world.

Be better equipped to develop and live your personal philosophy.

On Terms of Your Own:

The Pursuit of Being and Fulfillment in a Challenging World.

Navigate 101 by Topic

Key Concepts :

• The importance (value) of a personal philosophy.
• Why aren’t personal philosophies taught on a wider basis?
• What can be included in a personal philosophy?
• Using my personal philosophy in my life .

Common Misconceptions :

• Like philosophy in general, personal philosophies are esoteric and don’t have any practical value.
• I already know my personal philosophy. I don’t need to formalize it.

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Developing Your Personal Philosophy of Life

7 tensions to resolve..

Posted January 8, 2020 | Reviewed by Kaja Perina

From Plato to Stephen Covey, it’s long been argued that life is more meaningful if guided by a foundational personal philosophy .

To that end, here are seven tensions the resolutions of which can help you develop your personal philosophy. Of course, you could choose a moderate position within each of these polar pairs but often people choose to aim toward one side or the other.

Planning vs. living in the moment. Clichés exist on both poles. Ben Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you’re preparing to fail.” On the other hand, Emily Dickinson wrote, “Forever is composed of nows.” In deciding which way you want to lean, it may help to look at your track record: To date, has your planning been worth it? Or has your planning too often been wrong? Has it shepherded you toward worthy paths or closed to you opportunities you should have taken? Or has your planning too often kept you from appreciating your present moments, always looking ahead as I foolishly did when, as a 20-year-old touring Paris, I raced through the Louvre so I could make it to the Tuilieries before closing time?

Practical vs. idealistic. We have been preached both: “Be realistic,” and on the other hand, “Dream big. Follow your passion.” Which side to tilt toward may depend on your self-efficacy : Bright, driven, non-procrastinators have a better chance of achieving their idealistic dreams or at least, as suggested in another cliché: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars,” (Norman Vincent Peale).

Disciplined vs. laid-back. Many people find it more pleasurable to be laid-back. The question is whether that will contribute, net, to your success and contentment, or at minimum, will the decrement to your success be worth it? On the other hand, some people enjoy the process of being disciplined or at least are willing to be disciplined in the service of more successful outcomes. The question is, “How about you?”

Reflective vs. impulsive. Some of this is hard-wired. Impulsivity has a significant genetic component , but it’s not completely genetic. Again, look at your track record: Have you been more successful by making quick decisions and thus getting more done? Or have you been more successful when taking your time, reflecting, considering more of the implications?

Just vs. merciful. Solid arguments can be made for leaning either way. Justice, by definition, means that people get what, on the merits, they deserve. How primary is that to you? Other people prefer a life tilted more toward mercy: Even if, on the merits, a person deserves less, the mercy-centric person leans toward giving people a break. How about you?

Self-critical vs. self-accepting. Some people feel it’s worth being hard on themselves: being self-critical and ever trying to improve. On the other hand, other people feel that’s too big a price to pay and/or that enough of who they are is hard-wired or has been molded by early experience and current externalities that they’d rather focus on self-acceptance.

Self-reliant vs. communitarian. There are quotable quotes at both poles. Charlotte Bronte in Jane Eyre wrote, “I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself.” In contrast, Hillary Clinton famously said, “It takes a village.” Again, look at your track record. Has your reliance on other people yielded more benefit than liability to you and perhaps to them? Or have you done better by focusing on self-reliance?

The takeaway

So, do you want to write bullets or a paragraph or two describing your personal philosophy? If so, yes, consider the aforementioned seven tensions but there may be other factors that merit consideration. A few possible examples: the role of spirituality or religion? Your work or relationship non-negotiables? Your ethical red line in the sand?

If you might find a model helpful, I offer my philosophy of life here.

Most people don’t follow their personal philosophy assiduously, but developing one can create guideposts that can help you live the life you want to live.

I read this aloud on YouTube.

Marty Nemko, Ph.D ., is a career and personal coach based in Oakland, California, and the author of 10 books.

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11 Best Personal Philosophies To Guide Your Life

If someone asked you, “What’s your personal philosophy?” would you know how to answer them?

You probably have some idea of what’s important to you, but have you ever created a statement that sums it up? 

Look at a list of personal values, and some will stand out for you.

We all have different reasons for our goals and actions. 

Everything you do has a purpose, even if you don’t consciously acknowledge it.

Every successful person has chosen to follow a philosophy based on their core values.

You can do the same. But first, you need to know precisely what that is.  

What Is a Personal Philosophy? 

How to create your personal philosophy , 1. do no harm. , 2. there are no failures — just results to learn from. , 3. you are here to make good things happen., 4. keep stretching and challenging yourself., 5. the flow state is where the magic happens. , 6. you don’t have to understand everything. , 7. personal integrity should guide every action. , 8. impact matters more than intent., 9. be mindful in both your personal and professional life. , 10. learn by doing., 11. be bold, and have big dreams., ready to write your personal philosophy.

You make daily choices to work towards a goal. Smaller goals guide your days, while long-term goals guide months and years of your life. All of those goals are based on your core values, which determine the rules you live by. 

Those rules are known as your personal philosophies. Some of these philosophies may be tied to your religion or culture, but philosophies vary from person to person even within those frameworks. 

You can base your personal philosophy on the following questions:

• What are you passionate about? Or what inspires you?
• How would you describe your ideal life? 
• What elements or values do your passions and ideal life have in common?
• What habits do you have that relate to those values?
• How would you sum up your goals and outlook on life, using these values? 

Now you have a general idea of what it is, how do you write a personal philosophy? 

We’ve outlined a few steps to help you if you don’t know where to start.

• Start with a list of 10 to 20 personal values.
• Narrow down your list to 3 to 5 core values.
• Think about why each of these values is so important to you. 
• For each one, write about how you put those values into daily practice. 
• Connect each value to your long-term goals and aspirations. 
• Write a few sentences about how these values define and guide you. 
• Condense those into one sentence that sums up your primary motivation.

If you’d like some help identifying your values, look at our extensive list of 400 value words.

11 Personal Philosophy Examples 

Your personal philosophy will no doubt resonate with others. And it will express values like the ones you’ll see in the following life philosophy examples, each of which are important for everyone. Read these for inspiration and to help you articulate your own. 

Striving for success is a good thing only if it does not harm others. A victory that comes at someone else’s expense won’t get you closer to becoming a person you’d be proud of. 

When you undertake a challenge, commit to doing whatever it takes to get the best result for everyone involved — and for everyone likely to be affected by it. 

The more you value your connection to other humans and all life, the less you’ll want to be part of something that violates the rights of any. 

Respect others enough to be conscious of how your words and actions affect them to choose the best way forward. And look beyond the surface to see which endeavors genuinely seek the good of all. 

Personal values: 

Tenacity is behind this philosophy; no matter what happens to you, you keep going.

No matter how many less-than-desirable results you get, you keep moving toward your goal and taking action to get closer to it. 

You know that every so-called failure is just a result you can learn from, and you view setbacks with a growth mindset to seek out the lesson. 

You look at what went wrong or what you can do to get a better result next time. And you try again.

You don’t accept failure because every result that falls short of your hopes teaches you more than you might expect.. Every faltering step is still a step.

Personal values:

This is your philosophy (or part of it) If you believe your purpose in life is to make good things happen for the people in your world — those you love, those in your community, and those beyond it. 

You’re here to make the world better, one person and one action at a time. You believe your life won’t be well-spent unless you have a positive impact on those around you. 

All things in moderation, though. If you take on too much responsibility, you’ll always feel that it’s not enough whatever you do. And you’ll burn out. 

Be as kind and compassionate toward yourself as you are to others. 

• Relationships
• Empathy 

This one is about courage since it requires you to step outside your comfort zone. You know that a world of life-changing opportunities exists outside it. 

How can you do this?

• Take a hard look at your comfort zone and what it’s kept you from doing. 
• Commit to doing something that seems beyond your present ability. 
• Watch those who’ve accomplished things you think are beyond your ability. 
• Learn what they’re doing differently, and do it yourself (as long as it does no harm).
• If you don’t know what to do, act as if you do, and take action. 

Take it one step at a time, but keep stepping. Keep trying new things. Continue asking yourself challenging questions. Don’t wait for someone else to challenge you. 

Cognitive understanding is great, but if you’ve ever been in a state of creative flow, you know that the difference between the flow state and cognitive understanding is like the difference between intuition and reasoning. 

There are advantages to letting go of conscious control and allowing the flow to take you over. You become a conduit of thoughts, ideas, and feelings you didn’t know were accessible to you. 

Getting into a flow state indeed takes more than willingness. But once you learn how to access that state, you won’t be content with what your conscious mind can figure out. 

And you’ll want to help others experience the same creative flow. 

• Imagination

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Having a full life doesn’t require a full understanding of everything that matters to you. How boring would life be if you already had everything figured out? 

Life is a lot more fun when you still have learning to do. It’s more exciting to visit a place that’s different from any you’ve seen before. Everyone has a bit of the explorer in them. 

And the goal of the explorer isn’t to understand everything they see or even everything they study. It’s to learn and to broaden their perspective. 

An authentic learning experience should change you in some way. It should make you more than you were. 

Personal values:  

• Wisdom 

Integrity is wholeness. When you act with integrity, you behave in a manner consistent with your beliefs. Operating outside of your values undermines your integrity. It divides you. 

Commit to always acting with integrity, and people will know what to expect of you. They’ll trust you to comport yourself in a way that reflects your moral code. 

Granted, your beliefs may change and your behavior with it. If you turn away from beliefs you’ve held onto for years and continue to act with integrity, people are likely to notice the change. 

But once they know the reason for it, they’re more likely to respect you for acting in agreement with your current beliefs — even if they contrast sharply with older ones.

• Consistency

However noble your intentions, if someone’s experience causes them to receive your words or actions in a way you don’t intend, you owe it to both of you to take a closer look. 

If relationships matter more to you than being right, the impact of your words should matter more than your intent. Never assume it’s the other person’s fault for taking your comments “the wrong way.” 

If you first send the wrong message, apologize, learn where you went wrong, and try again. Learn how others can interpret your words based on their experiences. Your filter is yours, and your experience is not universal. 

• Understanding

It’s important to stop regularly and look inward. Pay attention to what you’re feeling or thinking, whether you’re relaxed, anxious, or somewhere in the middle. 

Don’t judge yourself for thinking or feeling things that don’t seem to fit the person you want to be. You’re human, and you’re still getting to know yourself and the person you want to grow into. 

Practicing mindfulness helps you stay connected to the source of your actions. And the more aware you are of what’s going on behind the scenes, the easier it is to build new habits that are consistent with your values. 

Personal values; 

• Mindfulness
• Introspection

As valuable as book-learning is, and as much as you can learn from watching YouTube videos, nothing can replace actually doing the thing. Don’t worry if you don’t do it correctly — or even well. Practice will help you improve. 

It also makes you less afraid of “looking bad.” If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing badly. 

Ever met a toddler who was too afraid of falling or looking bad to make the first step? We aren’t born afraid of failing. That’s something we learn as we get older. 

Think of dance as another example. Your first attempts are not going to be pretty. But people are inspired by those who love dancing too much to worry about how they look. 

Do what you love. And never be afraid to try something new. 

You don’t like being boxed in by low expectations. Maybe others think your ideas are “extra” or over the top, but you think, “Why bother dreaming if the dream is just a slightly better version of reality?” 

You want real change. You want transformation. Whatever others think of it, your metamorphosis will inspire other big dreamers to follow your lead. 

After all, what has timidity or “fitting in” ever done for you? You’re either your authentic, bold self, or you’re sleep-walking through life. 

Or maybe you don’t see yourself as bold, but you’d like to be more proactive than you have been. You feel the drive in you, and you’re ready to discover where it will lead. 

Be brave. Even if your boldness doesn’t make you rich, you’ll like yourself better for taking the risk. 

Now that you’ve looked through these personal philosophy examples, which ones resonate the most? Or what comes to mind when you make a list of your own personal values? 

Think of incidents where someone impressed you by the way they practiced one of those values. Or remember a moment when you were proud of yourself. What were you proudest of?

Writing down your thoughts can help you better understand why you do the things you do. And you’ll be that much closer to articulating your personal philosophy. 

Once you do, write it where you’ll see it every day. 

The Wonders

What Is Personal Philosophy? Definition, Examples & Tips

Did you know that every person, consciously or unconsciously, has their own set of beliefs and values that shape the way they view the world and make decisions? This unique set of ideas is what we call personal philosophy, and it's a fascinating aspect of human existence that influences every aspect of our lives.

Personal philosophy is like the compass guiding us through life's journey, helping us navigate through challenges, make important decisions, and find meaning in our experiences. It's the foundation upon which we build our identity and shape our destiny.

Throughout history, thinkers, philosophers, and spiritual leaders have pondered the nature of personal philosophy, recognizing its profound impact on individual lives and society as a whole. From ancient philosophers like Socrates and Confucius to modern-day thinkers like Oprah Winfrey and Elon Musk, the quest for understanding personal philosophy has been a constant pursuit of humanity.

In today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, understanding our personal philosophy has never been more important. It provides us with a sense of direction, purpose, and clarity in a world filled with distractions and uncertainties. By exploring our beliefs, values, and principles, we can gain deeper insights into ourselves and unlock the keys to living a fulfilling and authentic life.

In this blog, we'll explore what personal philosophy is all about, look at some examples, and offer tips on how to develop your own.

Table of Contents:

1. Personal Philosophy

2. Examples of Personal Philosophies

3. Tips for Developing Your Personal Philosophy

4. Conclusion

Personal Philosophy

Personal philosophy is like a guidebook for how you live your life. It's a set of ideas and beliefs that help you understand yourself, others, and the world around you. 

Think of it as a roadmap that shapes your decisions, actions, and goals. Your personal philosophy is unique to you, and influenced by your experiences, values, and perspectives. It's what guides you through life's challenges and helps you make sense of the world. Whether you believe in kindness, resilience, spirituality, or something else entirely, your personal philosophy shapes who you are and how you navigate the world.

Now, let's find out what a personal philosophy is and why it's so important for how you live your life.

Foundation of Beliefs and Values: At its core, personal philosophy rests upon the bedrock of your beliefs and values. These beliefs stem from your experiences, upbringing, culture, and introspection. They form the lens through which you interpret reality and determine what holds significance in your life.

Guiding Principles: Your personal philosophy encompasses guiding principles that inform your actions and decisions. These principles act as moral compass points, dictating how you navigate life's challenges and opportunities. Whether it's integrity, compassion, resilience, or authenticity, these principles serve as pillars of your personal ethos.

Meaning-Making Framework: A personal philosophy provides a framework for making sense of life's complexities and uncertainties. It offers answers to existential questions about purpose, existence, and the human condition. By articulating your beliefs about the nature of reality and your role within it, your personal philosophy lends coherence and meaning to your journey.

Influence on Behavior and Relationships: Your personal philosophy significantly influences your behavior and relationships. It shapes your attitudes, habits, and responses to various situations. Moreover, it guides your interactions with others, as your values and principles inform how you treat and relate to individuals in your personal and professional spheres.

Source of Identity and Authenticity: Embracing your personal philosophy fosters a sense of identity and authenticity. By aligning your actions with your core beliefs and values, you cultivate a congruent sense of self. This authenticity enhances self-awareness, confidence, and resilience, enabling you to navigate life with integrity and purpose.

Adaptability and Growth: While personal philosophy provides a foundational framework, it also allows for adaptability and growth. As you evolve and encounter new experiences, your beliefs and values may undergo refinement and expansion. Embracing growth-oriented principles within your personal philosophy fosters continuous learning, self-improvement , and adaptability to life's ever-changing landscape.

In short, personal philosophy serves as the cornerstone of your existence, guiding your journey with clarity, purpose, and authenticity. By nurturing and refining your beliefs, values, and guiding principles, you embark on a path of self-discovery, growth, and fulfillment, enriching not only your own life but also the lives of those you encounter along the way.

Examples of Personal Philosophies

Personal philosophies come in all shapes and sizes , just like people. Here are a few examples to give you an idea:

The Optimist: This person believes in the power of positivity and sees the glass as half full. They believe that every challenge is an opportunity for growth and that good things are always around the corner.

The Stoic: The Stoic believes in facing life's challenges with grace and resilience. They believe in accepting things they cannot change and focusing on what they can control. They find strength in adversity and value inner peace above all else.

The Humanist: This person believes in the inherent goodness of humanity and the importance of empathy and compassion. They strive to make the world a better place through acts of kindness and understanding.

The Spiritual Seeker: The Spiritual Seeker believes in the power of the soul and the interconnectedness of all things. They seek meaning and purpose in life through practices like meditation, prayer, and mindfulness which contribute to spiritual healing .

Tips for Developing Your Personal Philosophy

Here are some tips to help you develop your personal philosophy:

Reflect on Your Values: Take some time to think about what matters most to you in life. What do you value? What principles do you want to live by? Your values are the building blocks of your personal philosophy.

Explore Different Perspectives: Read books, talk to people from different backgrounds, and expose yourself to new ideas. Broadening your perspective can help you refine and shape your personal philosophy.

Stay True to Yourself: Your personal philosophy should reflect who you are and what you believe. Don't try to force yourself into someone else's mold. Stay true to yourself and your unique journey.

Practice Self-Reflection: Regular self-reflection can help you stay aligned with your personal philosophy. Take time to assess your thoughts, actions, and goals, and make adjustments as needed through stress relief, meditation  or any other practices.

Seek Support: Don't be afraid to reach out for support if you're struggling to develop or live by your personal philosophy. Whether it's through private therapy , self-care  practices, or personal development workshops , there are plenty of resources available to help you on your journey.

Embrace Open-Mindedness: Be open to new ideas and perspectives, even if they challenge your existing beliefs. Growth often comes from embracing the unknown and being willing to explore different viewpoints.

Find Balance: Strive for balance in your personal philosophy by considering various aspects of life, such as relationships, career, health, and spirituality. Balance ensures that you're not neglecting any important areas of your life and helps you maintain overall well-being.

Practice Gratitude: Cultivate an attitude of gratitude as part of your personal philosophy. Acknowledge and appreciate the blessings in your life, both big and small, and express gratitude regularly. Gratitude can help shift your focus from what's lacking to what's abundant and foster a more positive outlook on life.

Set Intentions: Clarify your intentions and goals based on your personal philosophy. What do you want to achieve? How do you want to live your life? Setting clear intentions helps guide your actions and decisions in alignment with your values and beliefs.

Embrace Challenges: View challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. Embracing challenges with a growth mindset allows you to learn from your experiences, develop resilience, and deepen your understanding of yourself and your personal philosophy.

Your personal philosophy is like a compass that guides you through life's journey. By understanding your values, exploring different perspectives, and staying true to yourself, you can develop a personal philosophy that serves as a roadmap for living a meaningful and fulfilling life.

1. What is the difference between personal philosophy and personal beliefs?

Personal philosophy encompasses your core beliefs and values, while personal beliefs are specific convictions or opinions you hold about certain topics or issues.

2. How can I incorporate my personal philosophy into my daily life?

You can incorporate your personal philosophy into your daily life by aligning your actions and decisions with your core values, practicing self-reflection, and seeking support when needed.

3. Can my personal philosophy change over time?

Yes, your personal philosophy can evolve and change as you grow and learn from new experiences. It's important to regularly revisit and reassess your personal philosophy to ensure it still aligns with who you are and what you believe.

4. How do I know if my personal philosophy is serving me well?

You can gauge whether your personal philosophy is serving you well by assessing how it impacts your overall well-being, relationships, and sense of fulfillment. If it helps you live a meaningful and fulfilling life, then it's likely serving you well.

5. Is it possible to have more than one personal philosophy?

Yes, it's possible to have multiple personal philosophies that apply to different areas of your life or different aspects of your personality. Your personal philosophy is unique to you and can be tailored to suit your individual needs and circumstances.

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How to Form a Personal Philosophy: 7 Questions to Ask Yourself

May 31, 2022

Forming a personal philosophy isn’t easy – but it’s worth it. A personal philosophy provides you with a fundamental framework for creating a meaningful life. You can use it to align all facets of your higher self and find a purpose in everything you do .

Many people flow through life with no personal guidance system in place. From this position of uncertainty, we end up breezing through life with little direction and struggle to meet our long-term goals .

By forming a personal philosophy, you create an invitation to exist intentionally and catapult yourself towards your vision of a fulfilled life. 

Whether you’re reinventing yourself or about to shift careers , a personal philosophy gives you the blueprint to ensure that you approach everything in life with intention, regardless of your current circumstances.

Does the idea of a personal philosophy resonate with you? Then keep reading to discover how to form a personal philosophy and create a life worth living. 

What Is a Personal Philosophy?

Creating a personal philosophy is the secret ingredient to living a deep and meaningful life of purpose. 

It’s a set of principles, unique to you, that guide you towards achieving your greatest dreams and aspirations.

A personal philosophy is a means of matching your thought patterns with your values, goals, and overall life vision. It’s the stepping stone towards living in alignment with your truth and reaching your highest self.

An article from the Journal of Space Philosophy explains that every human being has a personal philosophy that’s influenced by genetics, environment, and a lifetime of learning. 

In this philosophical piece, Robert Krone suggests that: 

“A small percentage of humans have explicitly documented their own philosophy as an analysis of their own value systems, or to understand the values, sources, and influences on their beliefs over time.” Robert Krone

Philosophy, in general, provides you with the means to deepen your understanding and improve your intelligence. Personal philosophies provide motivational guidelines that nurture expansive thinking and soul searching, ultimately enhancing your quality of life.

7 Questions to Guide You When Forming Your Personal Philosophy

Personal philosophies can be a wonderful ignition for your self-discovery journey. Devote this time to you, and let yourself be vulnerable in this period of discovery.

Below you will find an outline of 7 questions that will ignite inspiration and guide your mind towards new paradigms of thought. 

Take some time on each to really dig deep and do the work. 

1. What Are Your Core Values?

Begin by asking yourself, “What are my core values?” 

Understanding your core values offers you an insight into your true identity and sets the bar for establishing core moral principles.

What values drive your actions? 

As you write out each value, attach a definition to each and add a line or two about how you envision aligning your actions with your values. 

For example:

“I live and work with honor. I believe that everything I do must come from a place where honesty springs up like the headwaters of the river. In decisions and actions, I allow integrity to be my first and foremost directive. I do not expect to be perfect at this. I do expect integrity to be a constant ideal.”

By outlining your core values, you are building the foundations of your truth. Once you understand what you hold close to your heart, you can then discover ways to align your actions and values to reach your goals. 

If you need some guidance, check out my course, Be True: Discover Your Core Value System . In it, I personally walk you through proven exercises to discover your true self, find your truth and begin living it.

2. What Are Your Most Deeply Rooted Beliefs?

Take a moment to venture inwards. 

Dive deep into the core of your being and unearth the beliefs rooted in your soul. These can be associated with your worldviews or that in which you have great faith. 

Share or write down two or three of your most potent, deeply-rooted beliefs that are ingrained into your soul. These deeply-rooted beliefs are the ones that influence your perception and how you view the world.

A podcast episode by Boss Project on the subject demonstrates how our deeply-rooted beliefs are influenced by our environment and social norms. 

When you react to a situation, rather than consciously responding, it’s your deeply-rooted belief system, crafted from your upbringing and life experiences, that triggers you to act, often without thinking.

Outlining these beliefs for your personal philosophy allows you to truly understand what you stand for and, in turn, allows you to create life guidelines that are rooted in your truth. It’s like planting a seed of sincerity and watching it grow as you evolve.

3. What is Your Life’s General Philosophy?

Now that you’ve taken some time to explore your core values and fundamental beliefs, it’s time to outline your general philosophy for life. 

For this step, take a look at the principal thoughts which have blossomed from the experience, knowledge, and wisdom you have gained so far.

The basis of identifying a general philosophy starts with one question:

What is the meaning of life?

According to Joseph Campbell, “The meaning of life is whatever you ascribe it to be. Being alive is the meaning.”

This means that the answer to this question is different for every single person. 

From the second we are born into this earth, we each have a unique experience influenced by many internal and external elements. 

The meaning of life varies according to different philosophies , but this question is for you and you alone. 

Write down what you believe your life’s general philosophy is – what you believe your life’s meaning is – and allow this to guide you down the path towards success, satisfaction, and fulfillment. 

4. What Are the Metrics by Which You Measure Success?

We all want to succeed in life, but understand that success looks different to everyone. 

You may believe that you have ‘made it’ if you are excelling in your career. If you’re more family-orientated, you may feel that you’ve made it when you have created a beautiful family surrounded by love. 

Regardless, by understanding success as it relates to you, you can inspire to integrate this definition into your personal philosophy and set out the actions you need to align with in order to achieve it.

Ask yourself – what does success mean to you ?

The answer to this intuitive question empowers you to define success broadly, in the context of your life and in relation to the unique challenges you face.

You can dissect this into different timeframes and metrics such as daily, annually, or even a lifetime measure of success. 

Outline how you hope to achieve success using the most meaningful metric for you. 

What does success mean to you?

“When this life comes to an end I will measure success by how open my mind has remained and how soft my heart still is.”

5. What Do You Feel Is Your Life’s Purpose?

It’s not uncommon for people to not yet know their life’s purpose. 

Whether it relates to your career, passions, or relationship with others, each of us has a reason as to why we are here, on earth – but we might not yet know it.

Finding purpose in life can be difficult for some yet easy for others. It may take weeks, years, or even a lifetime. But once you have an understanding of what this purpose is you can live each day intentionally, consistently doing the things that are in alignment with your truth.

You can choose to add this step in or leave it out; it’s totally up to you. If you are exploring this step, see if you can write up no more than three sentences about what you sense your life’s purpose to be.

To make things even more simple, make the statement high-level, and less specific. 

What do you feel is your life’s purpose?

“My purpose in life is to provide as much love as I can to those around me. I want to enrich my immediate environment and community. I want to leave the world a better place than when I arrived in it.”

You can take this exercise further by developing a full personal purpose statement .

A study on purpose, hope, and life satisfaction by the Journal of Positive Psychology states that when individuals, no matter what age they are, identify with a purpose in life, they experience greater life satisfaction.

Once you feel that you know your purpose, you can translate these inspiring and actionable guidelines into your personal philosophy. This in turn allows you to lead your life, nurture your relationships and achieve your goals with a sense of gratification.

6. What Are Your Greatest Strengths?

As with everything in life, we embody both strengths and weaknesses and translate these into everything we do. 

Identifying each of these can attribute great value to your life, and help you understand where you already excel and where you can improve.

So ask yourself, “ What am I good at? ” 

What are my greatest strengths in life?

Take some time to learn how to identify your strengths . While your strengths may change as your work life and circumstances shift, start with today. 

Create a list and layout the great traits that allow you to elevate your everyday life and allow you to thrive. 

For example, you may excel at what you do for a living, you may have a heart of gold that supports others, you may be the first person people call if they need help creating a PowerPoint presentation, and so on.

By adding your greatest strengths into your personal philosophy, you can identify how to take advantage of the skills that enhance your life and do more of what you are good at. 

In fact, Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi explains that doing something that you love, whether that’s work or play, invites you into a flow state. 

It’s from this state of flow that you tap into your creativity, encourage free-thinking, and in turn increase your chances of success.

7. What Do You Need in Life?

As the final question for guiding your personal philosophy, ask yourself, “What is essential in my everyday life?”

Each of us has our own unique needs and when these are met, we are the best version of ourselves. 

List the needs that you require at this moment in time. Next to each need, attach an intention for how you intend to meet these. 

For example: 

What do you need in life?

“In my day-to-day life, I search for peace amidst the chaos. In every moment, I sprinkle a sense of calmness onto all situations as it’s from this place of serenity that I can make conscious choices that are beneficial for me, others around me, and the environment. Even when I have no control over outside circumstances, I always have a choice to venture inwards where true peace resides.”

Maybe you are unsure as to what you truly need from this lifetime. That’s okay. Why not first figure out how to discover your passion and take it from there? 

When we lead from the heart, we can never go wrong. 

Philosophy in Practice: Examples of Personal Philosophy

We’ve shared the questions to ask yourself when forming your own personal philosophy, now let’s take a look at some examples of how they might look:

1. Failure Inspires Positive Change

This example is a life philosophy someone might create to remind themselves to embrace challenges and the unavoidable setbacks they will face on their path to success. It will guide and inspire them to keep going, especially when things get tough.

Nothing worth having in life ever comes easy. It’s only natural to experience failure along the way when pursuing your dreams. 

Keep in mind that failure is not the end. Rejection is only redirection that can support you on this journey called life. 

No matter whether it’s in your personal, career, or romantic life— failure welcomes learning curves and can even be an invitation down the path less taken. 

The path to success is never a straight line. It involves frustration, setbacks, replanning, but most importantly, continued effort. And from there springs ultimate satisfaction and achievement.

Core values:

2. Always Act From a Place of Integrity 

Someone with this life philosophy wants to remain true to themselves in all situations, and build authentic connections to enrich their lives.

When you make decisions based on honesty you can stand up for what you believe in while also staying humble. 

It’s from this place that you can stay rooted in your truth while also staying open-minded to others’ perceptions. 

Treat every interaction as an opportunity to discover something new. You might just find learning something from welcoming a different outlook. 

• Open-mindedness 

Take the First Step Towards True Purpose

Discovering the right direction in life isn’t always easy. And often it’s not about the destination but the beautiful, complicated, and sometimes painful journey along the way. 

It may take exploring different avenues before you discover and unleash your true purpose. By dedicating time to understanding your values, beliefs, and goals through developing a personal philosophy, you’ll get there.

One step at a time. 

And when you do, I promise it’ll all be worth it. 

If you need a push in the right direction, check out my Online Course: Believing in Yourself . You’ll learn a number of proven methods to push past self-doubt, take action and achieve your goals.

About Lyn Christian

Hi there, I'm Lyn . My purpose is to support you to earn a living and live your life by doing what inspires you. To accomplish this, I work as a coach, consultant, TEDx speaker, author and founder of SoulSalt Inc.

How To Create A Personal Philosophy

• November 26, 2019
• By Alex Wood

First things first, ask yourself, “do I have a personal philosophy”. More than likely, you do– whether you can effectively articulate it yet, or not. We all have a personal philosophy, or a way about ourselves that gives us some degree of clarity and direction throughout our daily lives. Creating a personal philosophy, understanding how to set a vision, and learning your character strengths are central to improving and optimizing your mindset. Our patterns of thoughts influence how we perform. Therefore, embracing a personal philosophy is how we enhance awareness of our thought patterns in order to pursue our best.

A personal philosophy is a set of guiding principles that we live by. It influences everything from the words you say, to the steps you take, to the items that you will and will not purchase at the store. And individuals conceptualize philosophies in many ways. For example, some think of them as filters to sift all thoughts and actions through. Some think of them as a guiding paths, a yellow brick road that you shouldn’t stray from. And others simply consider them a whisper in the back of their head–always reminding and keeping them conscious. Ultimately, through all of these, the goal is to have an alignment between your thoughts, words, and actions that make them unmistakably true to you and that lead you on a path to success.

When you think of the most iconic and memorable leaders in history…what do they all have in common? People knew what they stood for. They talk their talk and walk their walk. Gaining that level of alignment and connection between your thoughts, actions, and perceptions is practically the definition of self-discovery. That’s really what your personal philosophy discovery is all about. It’s how you figure out who you are and become able to articulate it to others–and to yourself most of all. The essence of your philosophies should feel right to you first and foremost. No one else has to understand it or resonate with it. And an important point to consider is that your personal philosophy is already intrinsic inside of you, you just need to discover and uncover it.

Once you can articulate your principles, then next natural step is to gain and develop the tools, practices, and skills to be able to actually live by them. And this takes effort. You have to do the work…and it’s not always easy. The true test of whether you’ve successfully done that work is when you have to articulate who you are without preparation, without rehearsing, without notice. If someone asked you right now..in this moment: “so, who are you?”. Are you prepared to answer with a clear, straightforward response? They didn’t ask you what’s important to you…they didn’t ask you what you’re against..they asked you who you were. How are you going to answer?

Starter Tips For Developing A Personal Philosophy

• Start with around 25 words. If it feels right at the length, okay. If it feels like too much, then shave it down to what feels right for you.
• Write it down and read it repeatedly. Does it sound right?
• If one of your most intimate relationships heard your personal philosophy, would they agree with what you’ve written?
• Ask yourself why. If there is no why or how behind the concepts in your philosophy…is that really your philosophy?

In our online mindset training course, Finding Your Best, we walk you through understanding and clarifying your personal philosophy to jumpstart your journey of self-discovery. Learn more about Finding Your Best below:

Related Episodes

Mindset training – how focus is key, perform like an athlete at work and in life, how your personal philosophy leads to perseverance in uncertain times, are you ready to train your mind, for organizations, for individuals.

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16 The Story of My Life: Narrative and Self-Understanding

• Published: June 2017
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If narrative is thought to be a privileged form of understanding a human life, what relation does that thought bear to the idea of the “agent’s point of view?” This essay returns to an early source of this debate, the claims for the priority of narrative self-understanding in Alasdair MacIntyre’s After Virtue and, in particular, a disagreement he registers with the early Sartre. It explores an Existentialist critique of the idea of “living one’s life as a story,” and in doing so seeks to rescue it from a certain psychological (or perhaps “phenomenological”) interpretation of the “agent’s point of view” on which both MacIntyre and Sartre rely. It argues that the exclusive focus on narratives that concern individual human lives, as capturing or failing to capture “life as it is lived,” are in various ways distorting of both the nature of narrative form and the understanding of human lives.

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Home / Essay Samples / Life / About Myself / Unveiling My Philosophy: A Personal Introduction

Unveiling My Philosophy: A Personal Introduction

• Category: Life , Philosophy
• Topic: About Myself , Personal Beliefs , Socrates

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