No person can know his own inner motives.
He may be kind because kindness brings him pleasure.
He may be wise because wisdom is music to his soul.
He may become a martyr burned in fire because his nature is to defy, his nature is to be fire.
When can you know that your motives are sincere? Only when it is not within your nature to do this thing.
And how do you know that it is not within your nature? Only when you travel two opposite paths at once.
The inner motives are the hardest thing to understand with in ourselves. I have mentioned rationalization as being the enemy of the true person. Reactions as being a true enemy. Jealousy, and just wanting to covet what someone else has is also a problem with this. A woman may love a man yet he is married. It means hands off and you are not supposed to do anything. Yet the man could love the woman back and not leave his wife.
Real motives are something to apply to this situation. Yet most people never do it. they make excuses about following their heart and that the man would do it with someone else if it was not them. Yet it is not true in many instances as no one has a choice about whether or not they fall in love with someone. The real motives lie in your heart and mind and no one knows them but you. Yet this is again the being torn in two directions.
I feel that way about my work at times. It is a mission for me so I always say I am not employed but on a mission. Yet the last few days I have really been thinking about this. It is not an easy mission for me as everyone can find a way to be cruel to others even when they have the best of intentions. Am I doing things because I am getting some perks out of what I do. I think everyone has a certain amount of things they like and do not like. Does it pull me in two directions yes but does it need to be done also yes. It is like being a policeman. It is hard work and there are many problems. Yet is it a job that needs to be done yes. Do people and others always respect you for it no.
So I enjoyed this quote an the way it gets you to think. Yet being a true person is the ultimate goal and doing the right thing for yourself and others is also the ultimate goal. It is not an easy task.