The process of knowing yourself can seem mystical, but I see it as eminently practical. It starts with noticing what resonates with you. Noticing what seems to call out to you in the external world and gives you a sense of déjà vu. There is a universe of thoughts and ideas and emotions within you. Over time, you can uncover new layers of yourself

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A couple of months ago I pursued a new habit. Every night I pulled out a pad of paper and filled a blank page with answers to the question “What do I want in life?” (This is an exercise based on Jim O’Shaughnessy’s excellent six-part Thinker & Prover thread.) Unearthing my desires was painstaking work.

It would be easy for me to say to myself: “I should care more about business opportunities. I should double down on my StrategyU business.” or “I should push harder with promoting my book, I should do whatever possible to land on the top podcasts.”

But when I look at how I spend my time, I don’t want either of those things. Instead, I’m spending... See more