{"id":133633,"date":"2024-10-12T13:51:56","date_gmt":"2024-10-12T17:51:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=133633"},"modified":"2024-12-22T22:32:18","modified_gmt":"2024-12-23T02:32:18","slug":"your-genius","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/your-genius\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding Your Genius: How to Embody Your True Self"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What’s your genius? What makes you special<\/a> and unique in this world?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Awaken Your Genius<\/em>, Ozan Varol explores the concept of embodying your true self<\/a>. He argues that connecting with your authentic desires and talents is key to living a fulfilling life<\/a>. Varol offers insights on overcoming societal pressures<\/a> and rediscovering your innate creativity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more to uncover Varol’s techniques for rekindling your distinctiveness and becoming who you really are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Who You Really Are<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Varol argues that embodying your true self\u2014what he calls your \u201cgenius\u201d\u2014is key to living your best life<\/a>. So, who are you really<\/a>? And what exactly does it mean to embody your true self? We\u2019ll explain what your true self is and why it\u2019s so valuable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Varol suggests that your true self is the authentic, original, and creative version of yourself that emerges when you strip away outside influences<\/strong>. Your true self is what makes you great\u2014nobody else is capable of taking up space in the world the way you do because no one is exactly like you. You have distinctive talents and interests; your personal history allows you to see things differently than others do, which gives rise to innovative ideas. This means your true self is innately creative\u2014so embodying it allows you to infuse every undertaking with uniqueness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Varol, embodying your true self makes your life more meaningful\u2014you feel more freedom to explore the things that matter to you, you fulfill your creative impulses, and you make the world more beautiful by contributing something special to it. In contrast, when you\u2019re disconnected from your true self, your opportunities for creative fulfillment and personal growth are limited. You spend your time on things that don\u2019t matter to you, you feel bored or empty because you\u2019re not creating, and the world misses out on what you have to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your True and False Selves<\/strong>

Varol argues that anyone can benefit from connecting with their true self, a sentiment that echoes the work of psychoanalyst D.W. Winnicott. In the 1960s, Winnicott theorized that everyone has a true and false self<\/a>: The true self consists of your authentic desires, emotions, and potentials, and the false self is like a protective shell that develops in response to social influences. To illustrate, consider how you might tone down certain parts of your personality, like your love for practical jokes or tendency to rebel against authority<\/a>, so you can exude an acceptable, professional image at work.

Unlike Varol, Winnicott argued that both <\/em>selves are valuable\u2014embodying your true self is genuinely fulfilling, while embodying your false self helps you navigate societal demands such as politeness. However, Winnicot agrees with Varol that problems result when you over-identify with your false self and lose sight of your true self. For example, you may become more susceptible to peer pressure and harmful trends<\/a>. You may also be more likely to experience an existential crisis<\/a>, since you\u2019re living a life that isn\u2019t authentically fulfilling.

Varol also argues that your true self is intrinsically creative. In Wired to Create<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Scott Barry Kaufman and Carolyn Gregoire support this idea, arguing that creativity is not a trait but a set of cognitive and psychological skills that the human brain is designed to support.

Daydreaming<\/a> and mindfulness<\/a> are examples of these skills: Daydreaming allows your mind to wander and make unexpected connections, while mindfulness<\/a> helps you elicit meaning from impactful experiences. Like Varol, Kaufman and Gregoire also point to a relationship between creativity and a deep connection to self; they explain that fully engaging with and exploring your internal experience lays the bedrock for creative expression.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How to Become Who You Really Are<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Although being yourself is rewarding, Varol says that most people don\u2019t <\/em>embody their true selves because outside influences get in the way. We\u2019ll discuss how you can stop abandoning your true self by pretending to be someone you\u2019re not. Then, we\u2019ll explain how to discover who you truly are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stop Abandoning Your True Self<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Varol describes three forces that may have caused you to abandon your true self\u2014conformity, consumption, and education\u2014as well as counterforces that can help you overcome them. Let\u2019s explore those forces and counterforces now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conformity<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

When you were a kid, Varol says, you wanted to fit in, so you conformed to others\u2019 expectations and imitated their ideals. Then, you never stopped conforming. The ways you conformed became part of your identity<\/em>\u2014the collection of traits that you think define you, like your job, community, and belief system. Varol argues that your identity is an illusion that prevents you from seeing your true self, which is more complex than any identity could capture. Say you identify as a punk; the punk scene values rebellion and anti-establishment attitudes. This could restrict you from exploring anything perceived as mainstream, like classical music or entrepreneurship, even if it genuinely interests you, leading you to suppress your true self.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To overcome the pressure to conform<\/a>, Varol recommends detaching from your identity. He says you can accomplish this by embracing open-mindedness, doubt, and nuance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n