“I’ve never done anything but dream. This, and this alone, has been the meaning of my life. My only real concern has been my inner life.”

If we are considering identity and the transformation and exploration of the self through the inner life, one of the most profound thinkers and writers of the 20th century — and all time for that matter — would be none other than Fernando Pessoa. While there is a tendency toward entropy in Pessoa’s work and self-conscious self-examination, the inner work that he does is often revelatory. Here is someone constantly peering through the veil of perceived reality and calling it out.

What is the meaning of your life? Would others agree or disagree? Does it matter what others think?