"Porque es fácil criticar y destruir el espíritu de los demás, pero conocerse a sí mismo lleva toda una vida."

It's pretty straightforward, really. Knocking someone down is a piece of cake compared to the lifelong journey of truly understanding yourself. Think about it—how often do we find ourselves picking apart the actions or words of others? It's almost second nature. But turning that same critical eye inward? Now that's a whole different ball game.

This idea has been floating around forever, but it’s always relevant. Picture this: you're in ancient Greece, hanging out with Socrates. He was all about the idea of "know thyself." Back then, and even now, the wisdom holds up. People love to critique—it's almost instinctual. But self-awareness? That’s on another level and takes way more work.

Take a moment to consider a real-world example. Remember that time in high school when there was that one kid everyone loved to pick on? Let's call him Jake. Jake was a bit awkward and didn’t quite fit in. It was so easy for everyone, including you at times, to make fun of him for the way he dressed or the things he said. But fast forward a few years, and you bump into Jake again. He's confident, successful, and seems genuinely happy. While everyone else was busy tearing him down, Jake was putting in the hard work of understanding himself, figuring out his strengths, and embracing who he was.

So how can you take this nugget of wisdom and run with it? Start by cutting yourself some slack. Seriously. Give yourself the same pass you're so quick to give others. Next, spend some time really getting to know yourself. What makes you tick? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Journaling can help, or even just taking some quiet time to reflect. And when you mess up—because you will—don’t beat yourself up. Learn from it instead.

Now, let's bring it home with a relatable story. Imagine you’re at a family gathering. Everyone's chatting away, and you overhear your uncle criticizing your cousin for not having a "real" job. It's a low blow, and you can see your cousin's face fall. You realize in that moment how destructive criticism can be. Later that night, you decide to talk to your cousin. You find out he's been working on a startup and is really passionate about it. He's struggling, sure, but he's also learning a ton about himself in the process. You walk away from that conversation with a newfound respect for him and a reminder that knowing yourself and following your own path is a lifelong journey, not a destination.

So next time you're about to criticize someone, pause. Think about Jake. Think about your cousin. And then think about yourself—are you putting in the same effort to understand your own complexities as you are in picking apart others? It’s a tough ask, but if you start focusing on your own growth, you might just find it’s a lot more rewarding in the long run. And who knows, you might even inspire others to do the same.