How to Become Who You Are

This video explores Nietzsche's philosophy on self-discovery and becoming who you truly are. It emphasizes the importance of following one's instincts, recalibrating them if necessary, and being willing to face challenges and suffering to achieve personal greatness.

This video was made possible by Shortform. The first 1000 visitors to use the link in the description will get unlimited access for 5 days and 20% off an annual subscription. For Nietzsche, becoming who you are leads to greatness. In "Ecce Homo," he wrote, "That one becomes what one is presupposes that one does not have the remotest idea what one is." The question of how you become what you are begins with the idea that you don't know what you are in the first place. You're something that has to be discovered. By taking the journey towards self-discovery, you're embarking on the journey of a lifetime, while also moving towards your own greatness. But you're probably wondering, where do I discover myself? No one knows where you can find yourself, except for you. There are no directions, no signposts, and nobody to follow. You have to follow your instincts. Only you know which direction to take. There are things which naturally attract your attention, and they present you with questions you can't help but think about or want answers to. Those questions will lead you towards yourself. Your instincts are the compass which will guide you on your journey. "But if I follow my instincts, I know I'll only do things that are bad for me," you say. That's because, as Nietzsche would say, your instincts are corrupted. You're a decadent. A decadent's internal compass is corrupted, and so it leads them in the wrong direction. But you can recalibrate your compass and reclaim your instincts. The question is, are you willing to pay the price? To reclaim your instincts, you must be willing to suffer. Let me explain with an example. As a kid, Raphael always displayed a natural instinct and gift for music, and he had even won many competitions. This led him to believe he was a great musician, and he was at the time. But one day, Raphael entered a national competition, and instead of getting first like he usually did, he ended up in eighth. This was the first time Raphael received evidence that he wasn't as good as he thought he was. How did he respond? He claimed that the competition was rigged, and he vowed to never enter one again. This moment marked the beginning of Raphael's decline. Staying true to his vow, he never entered another competition again. And in fact, he began again.