shorten parts of this without changing anything important please so it's around 750-800 words: Many people pursue a good and fulfilling life. This has become a central point of many philosophical debates on how to define such a life. Living well for me is a continuous process of discovering oneself, as well as learning something new, and following what I am truly passionate about. These philosophies teach us that striving for our dreams and aspirations is the only way to live a good life and have personal growth. Socrates' philosophy that humility exists in knowing that you know nothing, and Thoreau’s exhortation to ambition in the direction of your dreams, match with my own view of how a fulfilled life should be.  

The first step to personal growth and knowing myself is to acknowledge one’s own ignorance. The path of Nora in The Midnight Library supports Socrates' belief that 'true knowledge is that of knowing that you know nothing' (Haig, 42). As Nora explores many lives, she learns that the failures she once thought she'd inherited from her mother, were based on a false perspective and incomplete view. This too is related to Socrates, that if I am to come to know something, I must first admit to myself that I do not know it. For example, while Nora was a competitive Olympic swimmer she was forced to face the impossible bar of perfection, and how she thought external validations would make her feel as if she had a complete and successful life while being an achiever. However, she realized that this didn’t make her happy or felt as if she had a successful life As Nora learns, “You don’t have to understand life. You just have to live it” (Haig, 218), Reinforcing that personal growth comes from embracing life’s journey. This aligns with my belief that living well involves self-discovery, learning, and following one’s passions. Mrs. Elm reminds Nora that “every life contains many millions of decisions” (Haig, 31). This also highlights that our choices shape what fulfilling life is in personal growth and aspiration.   

Pursuing dreams leads to feeling true fulfillment and happiness in life. As we see in the book, Nora realized that she was feeling happy when she was playing music or when she was younger and enjoyed swimming. This relates to Thoreau’s belief to “go confidently in the direction of your dreams” (Haig, 17). Since both of those were her passions, at one point, she ended up being the happiest when she was doing them, even to the point where later in the book, she starts to think of why she even gave up on swimming. During this time, she finds out that she doesn’t enjoy meeting others' standards and expectations of her, but instead finds out that she loves being her true authentic self. This realization is talked about in the book “It is not the lives we regret not living that are the real problem. It is the regret itself” (Haig, 277) The book also talks about happiness coming from within, as suggested by this quote, “We only need to be one person. We only need to feel one existence. We don't have to do everything in order to be everything, because we are already infinite." (Haig, 278). This emphasizes that true fulfillment isn’t found in chasing endless achievements or avoiding regrets, like how I did when I was on a swim team. I used to swim solely to win, never for fun or for how it could benefit me personally. Over time, I realized that this focus left me feeling empty and exhausted. When I finally let go of the need to win, I began to enjoy swimming a lot more than how I previously did I even got better at it during this time. This taught me that true growth and happiness comes from enjoying the journey, not just the destination.    

It is here in the book that we realize how essential it is to embrace imperfections and vulnerability in order to live authentically. Through her experience in the Midnight Library, Nora learns that confronting her flaws and mistakes is necessary for self-growth and acceptance. This, in turn, enabled her to embrace herself for who she truly is. Reflecting on her life as an Olympic swimmer, Nora faced her fear of failure and being imperfect as she realized that her self-worth isn’t based on accomplishments or how other people see her. It comes down to how she sees herself, leading her to understand more of what a fulfilling life is. As Mrs. Elm advises Nora, “If you aim to be something you are not, you will always fail. Aim to be you" (Haig, 93). This implies that embracing flaws is part of the human experience, as Nora learns that every life has its struggles and joys. The quote “the only way to find your way is to lose it first” (Haig, 113) emphasizes that the path to authenticity often involves going through struggles to define who you are. This suggests that part of being human is to embrace our flaws and shortcomings.  

In conclusion, my journey toward fulfillment is like the lessons learned by Nora in The Midnight Library and the philosophies of Socrates and Thoreau. Embracing self-discovery, acceptance, and authenticity has been important in my life. I have learned that fulfillment comes from within, not from external factors. Like Nora, I’ve discovered that letting go of regrets allowed me to pursue my passions with joy and not out of pressure. This journey has taught me that true self-worth isn’t tied to perfection but rather to being my authentic self. Fulfillment is about living authentically and passionately while finding joy in the process of what you are doing and what you want to accomplish rather than the destination.