You must unbecome to become
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The JD Letter May 17, 2025 "First you must let go of who you think you are. Only then can you become who you're meant to be.” – Lao Tzu At some point in his journey, Santiago, the main character in the book The Alchemist, realized the journey wasn’t about becoming someone. It was about letting go of everything that wasn’t him. That doesn’t mean you won’t face challenges or feel lost along the way. The harsh truth is that you can't learn all the lessons beforehand. You learn a lot about what you do want out of life after you experience what you don't want. You discover what type of career you enjoy after going through tons of jobs that made you miserable. You realize you need to taste unhappiness to recognize what happiness means to you. And so it goes in nearly every area of life. In most cases, what you wish you knew ahead of time can only be learned after you've walked through the experiences you've been trying to avoid. Santiago worked at the crystal shop. He spent long days polishing glass and counting customers. Deep down, he knew it wasn’t what his soul wanted. Still, through that experience, he learned something invaluable: He learned precisely what he did not want. That clarity was harsh but essential. He had to feel dissatisfaction, confusion, even despair, before fully understanding the path that would make him feel alive. Maybe you’ve been feeling overwhelmed and a bit lost lately. If so, I hope this meets you at the right time. I hope you enjoyed today's short read. Wishing you a great weekend! Chat next week, Jess Inspire. Empower. Transform. P.S. If you enjoyed reading this letter, please consider sharing it with someone you love. |