Hey, this is Leo, for actualized.org.

And in this video, I'm going to talk about

understanding the authentic self. No man ever steps into the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man.

That is a quote from Heraclitus.

In this video I want to address a really important foundational concept in personal development

and that's the concept of the authentic self. One of the things that I hear from people as I interact and coach them

and read all my YouTube comments

is that I see people coming up with this excuse.

You can also call it an ego defense mechanism,

you could also call it a way of thinking

or a model of the self, which goes something along these lines.

They'll hear some suggestion that I make that they should enact in their life,

and then they'll come back with this kind of thinking.

But Leo, what you're suggesting that isn't me, not me.

Talking to girls, that's not me.

Being passionate about life, that's not me.

Thinking positive, that's not me. thinking positive, that's not me.

Meditation, that's not me.

Being fit and caring about my nutrition.

That's not me.

Going out, partying, clubbing, going to bars, that's not me.

Socializing, schmoozing with people, small talk, that's not me.

...