Often, blinded by our own perception of wisdom, we risk falling into stubbornness. When we assume our view of our goals is absolute and refuse to adapt to changing circumstances, new knowledge, or lived experience, we are not showing firmness or resolve — we are revealing ignorance and obstinacy.
If you define yourself with words like “firm,” “determined,” or “tenacious,” perhaps it’s worth asking: am I truly being firm, or just stubborn? A lack of flexibility in adjusting our decisions to the context leads only to pain and failure. The more we resist changing direction, the farther we drift from our goals.
With honest reflection, we can see that what appears to be firmness may in fact be a kind of stubbornness — and often, an unacknowledged arrogance. What follows is a set of reflections not only meant to challenge our attitudes but also to help us learn from our missteps and move forward with clarity and purpose.
Truly Recognizing the Path
Firmness is a vital virtue for persistence. It holds us steady in uncertainty, gives us strength to withstand obstacles, and helps us stay focused when everything around us tries to pull us off course. It’s a powerful tool on the path to any goal, because it brings direction. No serious pursuit can exist without some measure of firmness; without it, our vision and mission would crumble at the first sign of difficulty. Yet firmness, when it turns into rigidity, can become a liability. Setting a goal without allowing time, experience, and life itself to reshape it is to risk getting stuck in a static idea of the future. The world changes. We change. And in that constant motion, the ways in which a purpose can be fulfilled also change. Clinging blindly to an initial plan without questioning it can actually take us further from what we truly seek.
That’s why, more than chasing an unchanging end, we need to cultivate an attitude of constant reflection and adjustment. Humility to admit when a path no longer serves us, and the courage to redirect ourselves, are as crucial as perseverance. Purpose is not just a destination — it’s built in the journey, in the decisions we make along the way. Be firm, yes — but be flexible.
When life asks for a change and we pretend nothing has happened, we’re not being strong — we’re being blind. Sometimes, real strength lies in shifting course, not in holding the line.
Having a clear vision doesn’t mean knowing everything from the start, but rather possessing an internal compass that can adapt to new maps. Clarity of purpose isn’t about rigidity, but the ability to make small adjustments without losing direction. And this clarity isn’t something we achieve once and for all — it’s something we cultivate through introspection, honest self-questioning, and openness to change.
That’s why it’s helpful to pause from time to time, look inward, and sharpen our vision with questions rather than certainties. To ask ourselves whether we are still aligned with what truly moves us. To wonder whether the path we’re on still responds to the why that set us in motion.
Only then can we walk with firmness without falling into stubbornness. Only then does purpose become something living, real, and transformative.
Think Less, Create More — Write Code
If you’re a curious and creative person, you’ve likely faced the conflict of having too many ideas in your head — and getting paralyzed by them. You think so much about what could be done, how to do it better, and all the possible angles, that you end up doing little or nothing. It’s a common paradox in restless minds: trying to understand everything, imagine everything, but getting stuck in the anticipation.
From that state, a kind of inner duality emerges. One part of you wants to plan, analyze, and organize. The other just wants to flow, create, and explore. Both are essential — but when they act at the same time, they clash. While one part of you is writing code or shaping an idea, the other interrupts with doubts, critiques, and judgments: “Is this efficient?”, “Is it good enough?”, “Should I do it differently?”
Those questions matter — just not at the moment of creation.
Premature judgment interrupts the flow. Creativity needs room to make mistakes, to explore freely, to try things that may not work right away. The inner critic should step in later — during the editing, refactoring, or reviewing stage — when the goal is to refine, not initiate.
The first draft of anything — a piece of code, a design, a paragraph — is just a sketch. It’s not supposed to be perfect; it’s supposed to exist. It’s a seed, not the final tree.
The artist Sol LeWitt captured this in a letter to his friend Eva Hesse when he told her, simply: “Just do.” Don’t overthink. Don’t judge before you begin. Create first. Judge later.
It’s a powerful message for anyone who wants to build from the imagination. So give yourself permission to act without needing to get it right the first time. Make, release, mess up, start over. Then, slowly, make it better.
Embrace Your Mistakes
Our mistakes don’t define us — but they do shape us. Failing isn’t a meaningless fall, but an invitation to grow, to come back clearer and stronger. Every misstep is a chance to rebuild. Embracing what shapes us is, ultimately, an act of embracing ourselves.
And that includes learning to let go of what destroys us: stagnant guilt, harsh self-judgment, and the inner voice that sabotages instead of guiding.
Mistakes are part of the process. They help us clear away the clutter that clouds our vision. They show us which steps to keep and which to leave behind. Owning up to our failures isn’t weakness — it’s maturity. It means forgiving ourselves, understanding that growth isn’t linear, and moving forward without dragging shame or impossible expectations.
Accepting our mistakes is also accepting that perfection is an illusion. Chasing it leads only to frustration. What truly matters is learning to take responsibility — not from guilt, but from the desire to become who we aspire to be.
We are not the version of ourselves that failed — we are the version that learned.
Life is a constant cycle of dying and beginning again. We leave behind outdated versions of ourselves so we can step into new ones. To forgive ourselves is to walk forward with deeper wisdom and compassion.
Accept the cycle. Accept mistakes as part of movement. It’s the only way to grow.
Know Who You Are
All the reflections above matter — but without this one, they lose meaning. To face life’s challenges — the arrogance of others, their bad attitudes, even our own mistakes — we need to know, deeply, who we are. That self-knowledge is the foundation of everything else.
“The one who sees themselves only in what they do, when they do nothing, is no one.” This quote reminds us of something essential: we are not just what we do. Our actions are an extension of who we are — not the whole of our being. If we tie our worth solely to output, we’ll feel empty in moments of pause, failure, or doubt.
That’s why it’s vital to build a clear sense of identity — one that remains intact even when we fall short, when things don’t go as planned, or when the world expects more than we feel we can give. That inner certainty allows us to withstand criticism, navigate shame, and keep going without losing self-respect.
Knowing who you are — beyond your achievements or appearances — is what allows you to live with wholeness, even when everything else is uncertain. It’s what holds you steady when life shakes you. It’s your true strength.
Conclusion
By now, you’ve likely recognized attitudes that are worth avoiding on your personal journey. Mistakes are part of the process, but owning them, forgiving yourself, staying humble, and having a clear sense of who you are — these are what allow you to grow with intention.
The next step? Turn inward. Reflect. Let these ideas guide you as you continue forward.
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