How can you know your users and customers if you don’t know yourself?
If you don’t first define yourself, your research analysis is just mistranslated data.

To design a solution for someone else means to truly understand who they are. But that’s impossible to do without knowing who you are, because only then can you relate to your user.

The more you seek the answer of who you are, the more complex you become.
As you change, it becomes increasingly difficult to understand yourself.
In this struggle arises the definition of the self.

Sometimes it takes a lifetime to get that answer. In your quest to define who you are, you’ll explore many facets of personalities and characters. This lifetime pursuit is what will connect you with everyone around you. For most people though, your definition of the self, is most likely who you think you are. Who you think you are is often in misstep with who you actually are.

What it takes to truly define yourself:
It takes a complete release of your ego, so you can shape your definition of the true self.
It takes an extensive list of patterns of who you are not.
It takes a deeper understanding and observance of the world to relate yourself.
It takes a third party view to overcome delusions.
It takes a conscious effort to observe the part of you that never changes and will never change.

A clear articulation of who you are will help you understand others. The practice alone will get you closer. At which point you can design for their motivations, needs and desires that we so often talk about. Eventually your designed objects will be integral to their path in life.