Get a Thorough Understanding of Oneself In all one's lifetime it is oneself that one spends the most time being with or dealing with. But it is precisely oneself that one has the least understanding of. When you are going upwards in life you tend to overestimate yourself. When you are going downhill you tend to underestimate yourself. To get a thorough understanding of oneself is to gain a correct view of oneself and be a sober realist- aware of both one's strength and shortage. You may look forward hopefully to the future but be sure not to expect too much,