We all know individuals who lack a sense of direction. They drift from day to day because they lack long-term objectives. I find it no surprise then that their decisions are inconsistent and undermine each other.

Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) had observed exactly the same phenomenon in his contemporaries. Few of them had set up goals for themselves, and even fewer pursued those goals in a consistent manner.

Self-discovery is the process of getting to know oneself, our likes and dislikes, our strengths and weaknesses, our hopes and expectations. Goal-setting is the consequence of self-discovery, the consequence of projecting our identity over time.

Montaigne emphasised self-discovery, which he regarded as a prerequisite of goal-setting. Why? Because we need a precise alignment between our identity and our goals. If we don’t know our values and convictions, we cannot project them over time.

Unfortunately, there are many false paths to self-discovery. If we walk a false path, we will end up in self-delusion or self-inflicted blindness.

Alertness is crucial when choosing a path to self-discovery because there are many vested interests leading people stray or, even worse, making them run in circles, wasting their energies.

Michel de Montaigne’s essay “On Physiognomy”

Montaigne’s essay “On Physiognomy” illustrates a widely spread error in the process of self-discovery. The error consists of adopting a spurious identity simply because it is available or convenient.

The essay was written in the south of France in 1588, when Montaigne had turned fifty-five years old. The key message of the essay is that we cannot establish a person’s identity just by looking at his physiognomy.

Montaigne’s observation about a person’s physiognomy also applies to a person’s attire, way of speaking, social position, or mannerisms. All those may provide clues, but not a full picture of someone’s identity.

Even for experienced observers, Montaigne pointed out, it’s far from self-evident to read someone’s facial expression, body language, or intonation.

We might wrongly rate a gesture as fearful, while in reality is the result of seriousness, concentration or concern. We might also mistake wry humour for friendliness, tiredness for despair, or prudence for cowardice.

Plato (427-347 BC) had depicted Socrates (469-399 BC) as rather unkempt and dishevelled. Socrates’ philosophical genius would become apparent only to people who looked beyond the first impression.

Montaigne recalls that his best friend Etienne de La Boetie (1530-1563), despite his brilliance, didn’t possess an imposing appearance; a superficial judgement would have missed a great intellectual and poet.

Montaigne and how self-discovery takes place

To make things even more difficult, Montaigne noted that a person’s identity can vary over time. As we age, we grow wiser and sharper. We make better use of our time and energies in the pursuit of a lifetime’s goals.

Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) modified his identity across time because, as he moved on, new opportunities materialised. The same can be predicated of Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), who learned from his mistakes as he advanced towards India.

Self-discovery, if properly done, should focus on one’s feats and habits. Which productive activities do we perform daily or which skills are we striving to acquire? Which difficult actions have carried out in the past? How do they delineate our future?

Montaigne points to Zeno of Citium (334-262 BC) as a man of self-made identity. People in Athens congregated to listen to Zeno’s lectures about Stoicism, despite his modest clothing and demeanour.

Zeno’s profound wisdom made up for his less-than-perfect looks. It shaped his identity and enabled him to project it over time, that is, when he travelled across Greece in search of new students.

Montaigne and the best path to self-discovery

Montaigne draws from Epictetus (55-135 AD) the idea that we difficult times accelerate self-discovery because the prompt us to make painful decisions. That’s why movies make the hero endure various misadventures: those reveal his true identity.

Nonetheless, we should not postpone self-discovery. It does not make sense to wait for difficult times or extreme situations. We can start our process of self-discover much sooner. All that we need is to look at our actions, desires and worries.

Montaigne was right in noting the evolution of one’s beliefs as we age. Identity evolves, and so do our looks, circumstances and resources. Each season brings new joys, and it’s up to us to seize today’s opportunities for self-discovery and achievement.

Actions speak louder than words and appearances. Let’s not be fooled by outward signs, noisy statements and debates. The process of self-discovery must be accompanied by maturation in the physical and philosophical sense.

I endorse Montaigne’s conclusion that self-discovery comes to light “more clearly from our actions” than from our features, words, attire or current circumstances. Let’s exercise prudence in passing judgement, even if we are reflecting on ourselves.

If you are interested in putting rational ideas into practice in particular in the face of challenges, I recommend you my book “Consistency: The key to permanent stress relief.”