A  clear vision about life can be developed through education and guidance. The clarity can help in forming self confidence and esteem. Here it is important to recognize the need for life experience based classes to be provided in schools. More than teaching students everything under the sun, there is a need to endorse an education system that recognizes the explorer in a student, enabling him mould it to help realize his goals.

Exploration paves way to discovery. The journey should evolve in a way that gives him understanding the greater consequences it can have for the whole of humanity. As actions are always followed by their reactions, we should have a development process with an eye on the effects on humanity and on our own self. Exploration should continue throughout our lives and in the right direction.

From Exploration to Self exploration

Now, self-exploration involves taking a look at one’s own thoughts, feelings, behaviours and motivations and asking why.
Having a deeper understanding of oneself has many benefits. It helps people understand and accept who they are, what they do, and why they do, which improves self esteem, communication and relationships.

Without exploration or experimentation with the unknown, society would quickly turn stale and nothing different would ever happen. Everyone would live the same boring lives. It is widely known that humans try to resist change, but those that are tempted to explore the unknown are often rewarded, leading to benefits for themselves and the society. For example, the effort of Space X’s falcon launches with reusable rocket boosters may soon make commercial rocket flight a reality, which was all but a dream just a few years ago. By exploring and experimenting with the unknown idea of reusable rocket boosters, Space X is able to develop new technologies that will revolutionize our society.

Exploration- the fun and the value

Most of the fun in life is found by choosing the unknown. Without it, our lives would seem cold and empty. For example, a child who is afraid to talk to others and does not want to risk the “unknown” of social interaction will miss out on many fun experiences and relationships. If no one chose the unknown, the world would seem sterile and robotic, not lively and wild. The unknown is an important part of human life and society. It works as a parameter that denotes how we develop both as people and a society. However, choosing the unknown can sometimes prove dangerous, in which case we should apply our judgement to ignore and avoid that option.

Robert H Gobbard, the renowned American engineer, professor, physicist and inventor, is known to have had an exploratory mind. At the age of 17 he had climbed a cherry tree in his backyard and imagined how wonderful it would be to make some device which had the possibility of ascending Mars. He later came up with the first liquid-fueled rocket. The world would have been left poorer without this wonderful innovation had it not been for his exploring mind which he had nurtured from an early age.

Motivation versus Will-power

Self exploration stems from Motivation. We need to first find out- ‘What motivates your life?’, for it is Motivation that makes us take action. In absence of Motivation, we use Will power alone to accomplish our goals. But will power being an exhaustible resource, statistics have shown that only 20 percent of people are actually able to accomplish their resolutions.

So, in our journey of exploration, we need a well directed plan that focusses on our strengths. Charged with Motivation and empowered with Grit, we should keep going– with the tenacity to face the challenge, that is tempered with Humility to accept it if we cannot.

About the author/s

The article has been contributed by teachers and students from Don Bosco HSS, Puthuppalli, Kerala, viz Mrs Jeeva Thomas, Mrs Rose Seema Joyce (teachers),Arya C Danish, Jeeva George Sebastian and Keziya Susan Thomas(students).