Nietzsche - How to Become Who You Are

For Nietzsche, becoming who you are leads to greatness. And in Ecce Homo, he wrote, “[that] one becomes what one is presupposes that one does not have the remotest idea what one is.” The question of how you become what you are begins with the idea that you don’t know what you are in the first place. You’re something that has to be discovered, and by taking the journey towards self-discovery, you’re embarking on the journey of a lifetime, while also moving towards your own greatness.

But you’re probably wondering, “where do I discover myself?” No one knows where you can find yourself except for you. There are no directions, no sign posts, and nobody to follow. You have to follow your instincts. Only you know which direction to take. There are things which naturally attract your attention, and they present you with questions you can’t help but think about or want answers to. Those questions will lead you towards yourself. Your instincts are the compass which will guide you on your journey.

“But if I follow my instincts, I know I’ll only do things that are bad for me,” you say. That’s because, as Nietzsche would say, your instincts are corrupted. You’re a decadent. A decadent’s internal compass is corrupted, and so it leads them in the wrong direction. But you can recalibrate your compass and reclaim your instincts. The question is: are you willing to pay the price? To reclaim your instincts, you must be willing to suffer.

Let me explain with an example. As a kid, Raphael always displayed a natural instinct and gift for music, and he had even won many competitions. This led him to believe he was a great musician, and he was at the time. But one day, Raphael entered a national competition, and instead of getting first like he usually did, he ended up in eighth. This was the first time Raphael received evidence that he wasn’t as good as he thought he was, and how did he respond? He claimed that the competition was rigged, and he vowed to never enter one again.

And this moment marked the beginning of Raphael’s decline. Staying true to his vow, he never entered another competition again. And in fact, he began avoiding any situation that might show that he wasn’t the best musician like he always thought he was. Yet, as he grew older, he spent thousands of hours writing and recording hundreds of original songs in his own bedroom, songs which he had never shared with anyone. When his friends asked him why, he said it was because he was waiting for the right time.

Whenever his friends showed him a popular song that they liked, he told them about how he was working on one that was even better. “Wait until you see what I’m working on,” he said. “It’s way better than that.” “Show us then,” his friends said. “I will, when the time is right,” he said back. “Mhmm...sure ok Raphael,” they said in disbelief. This disbelief really hurt Raphael, because he perceived it as a challenge to his identity.

/They’re just jealous I’m actually good at something/, he thought. And with the intention of proving them wrong, he uploaded all his songs to the internet. He waited. Days, weeks, and months went by, and he barely garnered any engagement. The little engagement he did receive was negative. Commenters said things like, “the lyrics are meaningless,” or, “the beat is so boring,” or, “painfully mediocre.” That last one really stung Raphael. /Mediocre/, he thought. /They just don’t get it/.

So Raphael decided to show his music to his mom, that way he could watch her reaction in real time and explain any confusing parts. And after he played her his music, she said, “wow, very nice honey.” And he had heard that phrase one time before, when, as a child, he made her two pieces of incredibly burnt toast for Mother’s Day. She had took a bite, said “wow, very nice honey,” and then, not as secretly as she thought, proceeded to throw both pieces of toast into the trash.

But this time, Raphael felt things were different. He was sure that she really did think his music was nice! So with a little more confidence now, he gathered his friends together and played them his music. They tried to sit nicely and listen, but by the time the chorus kicked in for the second time, they burst out into laughter. Raphael stormed off towards his house. /They’re haters/, he thought. /Jealous, bitter, and tasteless haters./

So you’re probably wondering why I told you this story. Because I think it encapsulates the behaviour of someone who’s unwilling to suffer. Raphael had a strong instinct for music as a kid, but every time he was presented with some evidence that contradicted his self-image, evidence that showed he might not be as good as he thought he was, he found a way to dismiss it. He was so attached to the idea of already being a good musician that he never gave himself the chance of actually becoming a better one.

He started to avoid any evidence that contradicted the image he had of himself, and by doing so, his instinct got corrupted. It no longer led him in the right direction. But if he accepted the evidence and realized he wasn’t as good as he thought he was, he could have learned why he wasn’t as good as he thought he was. And by learning why he wasn’t as good as he thought he was, he could have actually gotten good. In other words, if Raphael was willing to suffer, he could have actually developed his instinct to serve him well.

Now the question is: why are some people willing to suffer while others are not? The ones who are willing to suffer have faith that their suffering will pay off. They believe that suffering has meaning, and that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. They believe that the source of suffering is false beliefs, and so by being willing to suffer, they can identify the false beliefs they hold. And by identifying their false beliefs, they can destroy them.

And by destroying their false beliefs, they can reclaim their instincts and find their way to themselves. And to become who you are is to achieve your greatness. That concludes my exploration of Nietzsche’s teaching in Ecce Homo. As always, this is just my opinion and understanding of Nietzsche’s teaching, not advice. If you’re looking for another video to watch after this one, I recommend watching my video “Nietzsche - Love Your Fate, Become Great.” I’ll put a link to it in the description below and in the top right of the screen right now.