By Upendra Mishra
BOSTON—For millennia, philosophers from both Eastern and Western traditions have underscored the importance of the phrase “Know Thyself.” This ancient wisdom was famously inscribed on the Temple of Apollo in Delphi, Greece.
In Indian and Eastern philosophies, this concept aligns with self-realization, self-knowledge, and the exploration of the nature of “self” and reality.
Knowing oneself fosters self-awareness and introspection. It’s a call to deeply understand our true nature, recognize our limitations, and tap into our fullest potential. While this may sound simple, the journey is far from easy. It requires immense courage to confront and accept our weaknesses, flaws, and vices.
The Upanishads, a collection of ancient Sanskrit texts central to Hinduism, emphasize the importance of an inward journey—one that focuses on discovering our true self rather than being distracted by the external world over which we often have little control.
In times of struggle, when life feels bleak, many turn to external sources for guidance: gurus, deities, temples, churches, mosques, astrologers, palm readers, or even rituals in hopes of miracles.
Few, however, pause to reflect on their own behavior and actions. Yet, once we come to understand our true nature, acknowledge our weaknesses, and take deliberate action to improve, transformation begins. By mastering ourselves, we become the architects of our own destiny.
The challenge, however, lies in truly knowing ourselves.
I had a conversation with a friend recently, expressing my desire to understand myself better. Weeks later, she introduced me to the famous Proust Questionnaire, developed and answered by the French writer Marcel Proust.
Intrigued, I spent two weeks answering the questions every morning and evening for a couple of weeks. The answers are deeply personal, and it requires brutal honesty to engage with them. The difficulty arose when my answers fluctuated, but I persisted.
Over time, I began to settle on more consistent answers, which helped me gain insight into my values, priorities, and preferences.
If you want to embark on a similar journey of self-discovery, here are the 35 questions from the Proust Questionnaire. Have fun and explore your true self:
- What is your idea of perfect happiness?
- What is your greatest fear?
- What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
- What is the trait you most deplore in others?
- Which living person do you most admire?
- What is your greatest extravagance?
- What is your state of mind.
- What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
- On what occasion do you lie?
- What do you most dislike about your appearance?
- Which living person do you most despise?
- What is the quality you most like in a man?
- What is the quality you most like in a woman?
- Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
- What or who is the greatest love of your life?
- When and where were you happiest?
- Which talent would you most like to have?
- If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
- What do you consider your greatest achievement?
- If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
- Where would you most like to live?
- What is your most treasured possession?
- What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
- What is your favorite occupation?
- What is your most marked characteristic?
- What do you most value in your friends?
- Who are your favorite writers?
- Who is your hero of fiction?
- Which historical figure do you most identify with?
- Who are your heroes in real life?
- What are your favorite names?
- What is it that you most dislike?
- What is your greatest regret?
- How would you like to die?
- What is your motto?
(Mr. Mishra is managing partner of the Mishra Group, a diversified media company that publishes Boston Real Estate Times, Life Sciences Times, IndUS Business Journal, India New England News and the Hispanic Business Journal. He writes about his three passions: marketing, scriptures and gardening.)
