Know Yourself
Understanding your own capabilities and limitations is essential wisdom for navigating life.
Self-knowledge allows one to choose battles wisely, to know when to advance and when to retreat. The fool overestimates himself while the wise person accurately assesses their strengths and weaknesses, acting accordingly.
To a false friend the footpath winds though his house be on the highway. To a good friend lie straight roads, though he dwells far away.
Norse wisdom emphasized practical self-assessment for survival and success.
Poetic Edda
Written about in
- What the Havamal says about knowing yourself
Self-knowledge here is practical and unmystical: a correct read on your own strength, so you know which fights to take and which to walk away from.