Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.
George Bernard Shaw
This quote — often attributed to George Bernard Shaw — contrasts two different ways of approaching life: self-discovery versus self-creation. Let’s expand on its meaning:
1. Rejecting the Passive Approach
When people think of “finding yourself,” they often imagine that who they are is already fixed somewhere deep inside, waiting to be uncovered like a hidden treasure. This can make life feel passive — as if you just need the right job, relationship, or experience to finally "find" your true self.
The quote pushes back against this idea. It suggests that waiting to stumble upon your identity may leave you stuck, searching endlessly without direction.
2. Embracing Active Creation
“Creating yourself” flips the perspective. It sees identity not as something pre-written, but as something you actively build. Every choice you make — your habits, your values, your skills, your relationships — shapes the kind of person you become. In this view, life is an act of authorship.
Instead of asking “Who am I?” the better question becomes “Who do I want to become, and what can I do today to move closer to that vision?”
3. Empowerment and Responsibility
This perspective is empowering because it means you’re not confined by your past, your circumstances, or even your current sense of self. You can reinvent, reshape, and grow continually. At the same time, it places responsibility on you — if you don’t like the person you are, it’s up to you to change, not to wait for life to magically reveal your “true” self.
4. Practical Implications
Career: You don’t have to find the “perfect job” that matches who you already are — you can grow into new roles and become someone different through them.
Relationships: You’re not waiting for someone else to “complete you” — instead, you bring your evolving self into connections.
Personal growth: Skills, values, and even character traits can be cultivated. You can create resilience, kindness, creativity, or discipline through practice.
5. A Life of Ongoing Becoming
Ultimately, this quote suggests that identity is fluid, not fixed. Life isn’t a puzzle to be solved once; it’s a canvas you keep painting. You’re both the artist and the artwork.