Follow the open road.
In self-discovery, you never set goals. You see where the road takes you.
One of the big misunderstandings about self-discovery is that you have to set goals.
Although there is nothing wrong with goal-setting, it's reserved for another process that usually comes along with action plans and pitch-ready answers.
In particular, we see it in the world of coaching, where it has thrived for 30+ years.
It creates results, yes, but it also comes with great sacrifices. You have to let go of some amazing experiences to keep your focus.
Like a river
Self-discovery is at the other end of the spectrum. It's a process that doesn't have goals, but more an idea about a direction.
You can compare it to a river flowing towards the ocean. It knows it will reach it, but it doesn't know how, and it doesn't speculate on it.
It only follows the natural shape of the landscape and the principle of taking the path of least resistance.
Also, the river doesn't have a purpose of reaching the ocean other than maintaining the ecosystem it's part of.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Keep the flow
Make no mistake, though, the river is never static. It always keeps flowing, since the moment it stops, it's not a river anymore.
The same can be said about self-discovery. It keeps making us a little more self-aware every day, and if it stops, we stop. Life goes stale.
In other words, self-discovery is a constant process where you never know what will happen next, but you let it happen, and the magic of life unfolds.
Once you accept that, your mind opens in a way no goal or action plan could ever give you, since you would be too busy being focused.
The essence of life
Essentially, self-discovery is nothing more than following the natural flow of life at any given moment without trying to predict or enforce it.
Your life becomes an adventure waiting to be discovered, and the beauty is that you discover yourself along the way.
It's a process of curiosity and wonder. Much like a kid discovering the world for the first time, except here you have the mind of an adult.
It gives you the power of reflection, which means that you grow your self-awareness as you move on.
Or, to put it differently, you learn. Not just about you, but the very essence of life.