Perfectionism and Knowing Yourself

When people make a lot of mistakes in their lives, feel frustrated and confused, stuck in a holding pattern when they expected they would be travelling far and being great, flawless, this is called perfectionism.

“Perfectionism is often defined as the need to be or appear to be perfect, or even to believe that it's possible to achieve perfection. It is typically viewed as a positive trait rather than a flaw.” (1)

And so it can be. When it's done within reason. A little perfectionism is a good thing. But too much is not good. Water can be consumed when we need it to live; or we can drown in it, for example.

“The type of perfectionist who sets impossibly high standards for others has a bit of a dark side. They tend to be narcissistic, antisocial and to have an aggressive sense of humor. They care little about social norms and do not readily fit into the bigger social picture.”(2)

I'm speaking of when perfectionism begins to turn dark and the damage it does. A negative variety of perfectionism. When people self sabotage. When people are lost.

These people feel self hatred. They expect to be perfect. And when reality hits, and they aren't, they can't accept what they have. Work with what they have. They then hate on themselves, or on others. Its a self defeating cycle.


We do have the power to choose. We create our reality. This is a choice people make. The cup is half full, or half empty. It's all in how you think and look at things, that determines how you experience the world, yourself, others around you and this ultimately determines the quality of the life you will enjoy (or not).

When one does not know themselves, trust in themselves, is afraid of themselves, they tend to project these fears outwards.

This stems from real fear they themselves are the very thing they detest.

Like calling people faggots, jews, kikes, etc. This is coming from fear they themselves might be. It's coming from a place of insecurity and self loathing.

Calling someone down for their sexual orientation or for what they choose to do with their own body has nothing to do with that person and everything to do with the one speaking in such disrespectful ways. It's because they're really looking at themselves. And they don't like what they see.

They don't think they're good enough, so they project their vociferous self hate outwards upon innocent people – hating on others  - rather than facing their fears - and the world in general. And while yes, we can feel some empathy and sympathy, in the end, if somebody is really toxic....they tend to drive everybody away. And be left alone. Which is a miserable state to be in.

Tuned out because unlike them, other people have lives and want to get on with living them.


So, how does one 'get a life', as they say? First, you want to get to know yourself.

If you don't know yourself, believe in yourself and trust yourself. This is because you've lost your moral anchor, lost in a sea of confusion. You look to the gods or to your HP for your moral rudder. A perceived authority outside yourself for the answers.
True Satanist's look to themselves.

Also, if you can't trust yourself, you can't be trusted, either.

You'll betray friendships, confidences.

You'll project what you fear onto people close to you, then push them away and say how much it hurt you, how life sucks for you; Not realizing you're sabotaging your own happiness. You'll engineer your own losses then blame others or the Gods. I'm not saying consciously. This could be entirely unconscious. It all depends on your level of self awareness. Awareness that comes from knowing yourself.

A negative form of perfectionist expects to be the best, which is a kind of arrogance. Nobody is the best straight out of the gate. We are all on a sort of sliding scale of 'great', or 'best'. There is always going to be somebody better at something than you. At least, for most of us. This is how it is. We're not Gods, after all, YET.

And so, better not to harbor false expectations right out of the gate. Try not to place these limitations upon yourself. It's self defeating. It'll make you feel like: If I'm not the best, not shining the brightest, why bother? Why am I here? And then you give up. Before you really even began. Or maybe you try once or twice, say you can't, then give up. In worst cases, this can lead to suicide.

If you allow yourself to fall into this kind of mind trap, you're selling yourself short. You'll never know just how 'great' you can be, unless you put in the work. Without preconceived ideas about how long you may have to work at something. It could take lifetimes. It could take years, a month. Who knows? All we can do is our best, each and every day.  The journey is composed of steps, and is just as important as the ultimate destination. Be mindful of where you are in the present. Make the most of each day. Be glad for each day. Cultivate a positive frame of mind in the moment, rather than living always for tomorrow.

Go into each situation with the expectation that you'll do your best and the confidence that comes of knowing you'll be doing your best.


Don't be afraid of hard work. Working hard can be fun. Again, its all in how you look at things. Cultivate a positive outlook and give yourself a break now and then.

Some days you may want to take off. Some days you're tired. It's ok. You're allowed personal relaxation. Don't beat yourself up all the time.

There is also such a thing as driving yourself mercilessly. Which is another form of self destructive behaviour. It's also extremely self abusive.

And the real problem I have with that (on a personal level), is that the body you are residing in has its own memory and feelings. So when you're abusing yourself, your own body, it's like a form of child abuse. Your body is dependant on and connected intimately with you, like a child. It's always there for you, working for you. It's like a loyal dog (god spelled backwards). It's there for you. Don't take it for granted, don't abuse it. Be kind to it. Love it. Cherish it. It's your partner here in this world. It's always doing it's best to fulfill your wishes. So be appreciative. Love it. Love yourself.

However, that said, If you want to be advanced, or knowledgeable, you have to dedicate time to studying, practicing your craft. If you want to be the best, you have to spend time (a lot of it) practicing while at the same time, visualizing yourself successfully accomplishing the task (learning to play an instrument, write a book, paint a painting, etc). This requires work. It's a sacrifice.

This is the real Satanic 'sacrifice'. Our time, effort and energy.
However, it's well worth it, because it's for YOU. This is a form of self worship. And you're worth the time, the energy, and the effort.


Failure is a temporary setback, something that happens, a bump in the road.

“What does it mean to have faith in yourself? You can only have faith in yourself if you truly know yourself. Knowing oneself inevitably sets the individual on a quest for self-mastery. The Greek philosopher Aristotle stated, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” (1)

This is a secret of the Satanist: "Through knowing oneself, you will overcome." 

It's not about how many times you fall; this happens to everybody. We all fall down. True leaders and self starters (Satanists) are the ones who keep picking themselves up off the ground after they fall. They know themselves. They have faith in themselves.
If you have no belief in yourself, how can you pick yourself up and keep going?


And then, when you aren't the best or shine the brightest right out of the starting gate, you kick yourself and wonder why? Never knowing or understanding that the first thing to do is look within.

Look in the mirror. And start liking what you see there. Realize that the person staring back at you is the one you need more than anybody else.

It's not about trying to get closer to Satan or to the Gods. Satan has told us the One True God is the one staring back at you in the mirror. The God within. We're meant to become Gods; that means we worship no one but ourselves. This means NOBODY, not even Satan Himself, is above us.

Satan doesn't need or require your worship. YHVH, on the other hand, DOES.
 
“Self-destructive behaviour comes from a place of self-hate and is a result of being told that you are a worthless sinner that is useless in every way. The eventual outcome of this is low self-esteem, lack of self-worth, and motivation to get anything done. This sets the individual up to look to others or a divine authority for solutions.
 
 Serving yourself instead of God means being your own master and this makes the individual responsible. Because Satanists are accountable to themselves they are trustworthy individuals. Instead of doing good things out of fear of going to Hell, Satanists do what is right from a place of sincerity.
 
 They are self-motivators and self-starters, they can see what needs to be done and take action.
 Because they don’t need to be told what to do Satanists are natural leaders. That is why this philosophy is for people who want to be independent and free.” (2)

Remember, Satan wants us to put ourselves first. This means to set ourselves right. We make the world and thus the universe, a better place when we set ourselves right. It all begins with that man (or woman) you see in the mirror. The journey begins when you commit to taking that first step. Many people are so frozen in fear they can't even begin. They won't even try. Which is sad. Its a loss; not just for them, but for the world, because who knows what greatness they could have achieved, gifts shared?

It takes power to realize your dreams. This power comes from knowing yourself. Without fear, without expectations, secure in the faith that comes when one knows their capabilities and can trust in them. They know themselves. Thus confident in life, secure in themselves, without the need to self sabotage or attack and tear down others for perceived failings, which is a form of projection...

This is a security that cannot be taken away, will take you far in life and give you true peace of mind.

I wish everyone here good journey on the Hero's path.

Quotes:
(1) goodtherapy.org
(2) springer.com
I - The True Philosophy of Satan – The Book of Satan
(1) Chapter 3 Believe in Yourself
(2) Chapter 7: The Power of Self Worship

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