Personal Aim in the Work: Bridging Knowledge and Being

Now as regards the often-asked question: "Can you give me examples of what personal aim means?" On the side of knowledge, personal aim means to become familiar with the ideas of the Work. On the side of Being, personal aim means to observe yourself in the light of the knowledge of the Work and apply it to yourself. Personal work on your own Being begins when you notice something that the Work tells you about in yourself.

Have you noticed in yourself when you are negative? Have you noticed in yourself where you are too identified? Have you noticed day-dreaming? Have you noticed wrong talking? Have you noticed what false personality means in yourself? Have you noticed where you justify yourself? Have you noticed lying in yourself? Have you noticed what sleep means? Have you noticed what making accounts means?—and so on. Start with one single thing that you have noticed and begin to watch it and try to work against it. But start with something you have no doubt about.

Maurice Nicoll, “Personal Aim” in Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Vol. 1, p. 175)