Confront Your Problems or Lose Yourself to False Identities

The way you utilize your energy has a direct impact on your personal growth. The key is to use it wisely by tackling the right problems. But which ones are the right problems? This is the million-dollar question that can't be ignored.

It may seem like the obvious answer is to solve problems that don't drain all your energy, but instead, offer great rewards. However, this is an oversimplification that doesn't factor in the interconnected complexities of the world. It's nearly impossible to calculate the true cost and rewards of individual problems.

But don't worry! The answer to the "Problem of Problems" is more attainable than you think.

The best approach is to focus on problems that choose you. These are the problems that capture your attention, spark your curiosity, and keep you questioning. They might even scare you a little, but deep down inside, you know they are the ones you have to confront. These problems are confronting you in interesting or threatening ways, and they are the ones that will bring the most growth and reward in the long run.

When life throws a problem your way, it's not just going to disappear into thin air. It demands a response. You can either face it head-on or resort to self-defense. But, as Nietzsche famously said, defending yourself is one of the worst ways to spend your energy.

Think of it like living in the wild, surrounded by wolves, constantly trying to steal your food. You spend all your time and energy scaring them off, but while you're focused on one, another sneaks up from behind to steal your food. Your energy is drained just trying to protect what you have, leaving no room for growth. And as the number of wolves multiplies, so does the effort you need to put into defending yourself. Before you know it, you'll be left with nothing, not even yourself.

Nowadays, our focus has shifted towards psychological self-defense instead of physical, but it's still just as draining our energy. We often build up false identities as a way of protecting ourselves, and you might think that you're exempt from this.

But how many times have you held your tongue or said "yes" when you wanted to say "no"? How often have you acted a certain way to avoid being judged, or had negative thoughts and feelings that you hid from others? These are all signs that you may have one or multiple false identities, and they require a great deal of energy to maintain.

Sure, some may argue that their false identity is their strength, helping them defend themselves and survive in the short term. But think about the long-term effects of constantly being on the defense. The wolves will always be at the door, and eventually, you'll run out of energy to keep them at bay. The cost of maintaining these false personas is immense, and it takes away from the energy you could be spending on developing your true self.

The more time you spend creating and maintaining false identities, the weaker and more impoverished your true self becomes. You'll feel empty inside, losing touch with who you are, and becoming a mere collection of false personalities. But, at some point, you'll have to confront the wolves voluntarily, and by doing so, you can break free from the cycle of self-defense.

Destroy their den at the source, and you'll be able to use that energy for growth rather than mere protection. Stop relying on fake personas to get by - at best, they buy you time, and at worst, they make you too weak to save yourself. Instead, challenge your problems head-on, directly and sincerely. Face them as soon as possible because the longer you run and hide, the bigger they get, and the harder they become to tackle.

Try to position yourself in a way where you don't have to pretend anymore, at least as much as possible. It's helpful to have allies, people who you can be your true self with and who are willing to help you overcome your challenges.

Maybe you've been running for so long that it feels futile to confront your problem. The path ahead may seem too dark and long, making it impossible to see the end. However, just because you can't see the light, it doesn't mean that it isn't there. I believe that it's always present, and it's always worth striving to reach it.

What's the alternative? Living a fake life? Expending all your energy avoiding your issues through fake personas, until your problems become insurmountable. Once you address the root of your problem, you can channel your extra energy toward becoming stronger, flourishing, blooming, and becoming your true self.

These are some of the key lessons from Friedrich Nietzsche's teachings put simply.