Like many other authors, Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) regarded writing as a process of self-discovery; he talked about self-discovery through self-expression. He meant that we get to know ourselves better when we outline our ideas in writing, or when we convey our thoughts to other people. However, Montaigne knew that introspection is difficult and that most meditation techniques will fail to deliver the desired results. People seldom become more philosophical or effective by pushing themselves. That’s why personal development (the pursuit of happiness) should be practised as “letting go,” not “pushing.” Experience shows that we will thrive and attain our goals faster when we practise self-expression and self-discovery. Montaigne often repeats this idea in his essays. It constitutes one of the pillars of his personal philosophy. For example, his essay “Of the Education of Children” favours the development of a child’s natural talents, instead of imposing constraints. Similarly, in his essay “Of Friendship,” Montaigne remarks that, on the one hand, we need self-expression to find friends; and on the other hand, those friends enable our self-discovery because their words and actions are going to mirror our values. Writing constitutes Montaigne’s pre-eminent method of self-expression and self-discovery, but he also used other methods. In his essay “Of the Useful and the Honourable,” Montaigne is also recommending travelling and reading books as valid ways of self-discovery. The same proposal is made by Montaigne in his essay titled “Of Solitude,” where he argues that it’s difficult to acquire self-awareness without regular periods of solitude. Gregariousness, in the sense of random socializing, can impede self-expression rather than promote it. We need friends that match our ethical values and personal interests, but socialising in large groups may prove ineffective as a method for finding friends. Why? Because it’s far easier to figure out people by talking to them in small groups. Montaigne was aware of the desire to find kindred souls as best friends, but despite using relevant examples, he drew the wrong conclusion. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/michel-de-montaigne-on-self-discovery-and-self-expression/