A Journey of Self-Discovery and Challenge

Some writers feel like they’re speaking directly to our souls. Reading them is like having the most intimate conversation with oneself—a dialogue that reaches into the deepest parts of our lives. In their words, I find reflections of my own thoughts, questions, and struggles. These mentors—Jesus, Seneca, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Leo Tolstoy, Friedrich Nietzsche, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Naval Ravikant, and Ray Dalio—have profoundly shaped my journey.

Their guidance has been a blessing. The ancients have provided me with moral, emotional, philosophical, and psychological foundations. They challenge me to think deeply about courage, integrity, and the nature of a good life. The contemporary thinkers, on the other hand, have opened my mind to the complexities of the modern world. Thanks to them, I have found the strength and perspective to cope with my current situation as an immigrant in France. What a gift it is to live in an age where the wisdom of centuries past and present is accessible at our fingertips. The internet truly is a modern miracle.

Yet, I find it hard to always live by their teachings. Jesus and Ray Dalio both ask for unwavering truthfulness, but I find myself falling short. Seneca and Nassim Taleb emphasize courage, but I struggle to embody it. My decision to stay in France was driven by a desire not to disappoint my family, yet the reality is that I remain undocumented. Though the authorities know of my presence, the truth of my situation feels like a contradiction to the ideals of integrity and transparency these mentors espouse.

I have often complained about my circumstances, forgetting that I chose them. The door has always been open, and I could leave if I wished. Yet fear of the unknown—of what comes next—has kept me rooted here. In my silence, I have witnessed nonsense and injustice, afraid that speaking out would make things worse. I’ve lied to myself and sought the validation of others, straying far from the path laid out by those I admire.

But perhaps the struggle itself is the point. These mentors were human, too. They struggled, faltered, and failed (Like Ray Dalio, whom I particularly admire among our contemporaries). They didn’t live perfect lives but left behind wisdom born from their imperfections. To measure myself against their ideals is not to find failure but to find direction. I am still far from their recommendations, but I am on the path. I stumble, but I move forward.

The journey is not easy, but it is mine. And for that, I am blessed.