הַדֶּרֶךְ הָאֲמִתִּי הוּא שֶׁצְּרִיכִים לָדַעַת מַהוּת עַצְמוֹ, בְּהַכָּרָה אֲמִתִּית בְּחֶסְרוֹנוֹת עַצְמוֹ וּבְמַעֲלוֹת עַצְמוֹ. וְכַאֲשֶׁר יוֹדְעִים אֶת הַחֶסְרוֹנוֹת — לְתַקְּנָם בַּעֲבוֹדָה בְּפוֹעַל, וְלֹא לָצֵאת יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ בַּאֲנָחוֹת בִּלְבַד.

The true path demands that one recognize his essential nature, with a genuine acknowledgment of one’s shortcomings and virtues.1 And when one is aware of his shortcomings, he should correct them with actual work, and not discharge his obligation by merely sighing.2

Delving Deeply

There is a chassidic saying that a person doesn’t really need mussar-sefarim;3 all he has to do is look in a mirror. When one looks upon himself honestly and objectively, he should be inspired to move forward and correct his faults.

As the Rebbe Rayatz explains,4 critical introspection does not mean focusing only on our faults, until depression cripples our ability to change. In this spirit, immediately after the Alter Rebbe urges anyone weighed down by spiritual lassitude to shake himself up — briskly but briefly — once in a while, he advises that one should remind himself: “Yet within me there is a veritable ‘part’ of G‑d, which is present in even the most lightminded of lightminded Jews…. Therefore I will make it my entire aspiration and desire to extricate and elevate [my soul] from this exile….”5

Focusing on our inner strengths and positive traits can thus enable us to correct our faults.