Identity Quote by Gabor Maté
““Since having a strong core self relies on acceptance of feelings, being out of touch with the emotional side puts a person out of touch with herself. What then remains to be esteemed? Only a false self, a concoction of what we would like to imagine ourselves to be and what we have divined others want us to be. Sooner or later, people come to realize that this false self — wanting what they think they should want, feeling what they think they should feel — does not work for them. When they look inside themselves, they discover a frightening emptiness, a vacuum, an absence of a true self or of intrinsic motivation.””
About This Quote
Source Book: In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, Gabor Maté, 2008
True self‑knowledge requires feeling and accepting emotions; otherwise we construct a false identity that lacks genuine motivation.
In simple terms: Accept feelings to discover your real self.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate emotional awareness to find authentic purpose.
Themes
self‑discovery
authenticity
psychology
Mood
reflective
introspective
Type
philosophical
psychological
When to use this quote
- therapy
- journaling
- mindfulness practice
- career counseling
Key Concepts
identity
emotional intelligence
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- What emotions do you avoid?
- How might acceptance change your goals?
A Different Perspective
Emotional avoidance can be a coping mechanism that feels safer than confronting emptiness.
![“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s self. Everything in the worldly life is nothing but intoxication. The food is intoxicating, the senses are intoxicating. [Therefore] Go to the one, who…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2b3/dada-bhagwan-31_absolute_in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-into_3662.jpg)
