“This millennium is about the birth of what a friend of mine has termed ‘the given self’. It’s not about willing or visualizing yourself to be what you think you should be. It’s about understanding the pattern of instincts, experiences, observations and personality that make you what you are and then living truly to that self.”

I am trying to understand the above lines and am struggling with it..

there is a gap between “what I want and what I think I am” and “what I actually am”.. This GAP is very wide when i function from the level of the EGO and is significantly narrowed when I am more connected with the “True Self”

I would like to share with you my example..

1. What do I currently stand for
cool and efficient, interested in things that add value to myself and family, happy and healthy

2. What Do I like to Visualize myself to be standing for

Increasing Happiness & Health, Reducing Stress/Conflict, Able to add value in any situation.

3. What are the things/ideals that I value
I have rated them on a scale of 1-10 (1- less valuable, 10 very valuable)

Happiness -(10, (how much i would ideally like to value, how much I actually value)
Health & Fitness – (8, 9)
Learning – (7,
Justice – (8, 6)
Bodily pleasures (eating, sensuality) – (6, 9.5)
Engaged in Sport – (8,
Peace of Mind – (9, 7)
Money – (6, 9.5)
Adding value to others (9, 4)
Adding value to family (10,
Wisdom (10,
Recognition from others (5, 9)

If I go with the pattern of instincs, observations and personality, then I do have to consider my patterns that I exhibit even when I am acting from the level of the ego and GAP between my ideal values and what I actually value is wide..
When I raise my level of consciousness, this GAP is narrow..

During the course of life, when you interact with people at various levels of connection with the spirit, my ego self takes over on many ocassions..

back to the same question.. how do i establish and validate my values (what is more of me).. Does this have to come from the level of the spirit?