One of the items that is often discussed within Freemasonry is the need for self improvement which is frequently associated with the journey between two stones or ashlars, one rough and one perfect. We tend to look at them as fixed end points, things that are clearly defined, and I would agree that while one is, the other isn't.
The rough ashlar is the easier of the two to define, though it still takes a fair amount of work. It represents where you are now, your current state on the journey, and while it will take introspection, soul searching, and time, most can eventually determine where they are on this journey. This is the fixed point, the start of the path you need to take.
The perfect ashlar is by far the harder of the two to define. It represents the end of the journey, the state you want to achieve, a version of yourself that's perfect. One reason that it's so difficult to define is that it's hidden. To borrow from the movie Tron Legacy:
“The thing about perfection is that it is unknowable, it's impossible, but its also right in front of us, all the time” - Kevin Flynn
The challenge with perfection is that it's a concept and it's a very personal one. You define it and once you get to that state, your knowledge and understanding of the world around you and yourself has changed, which means your definition of perfection has changed. The journey continues with a new destination and a new path to travel.
Which brings me to back to 'choose your own path.'
One of the things that I see in many walks of life, including Freemasonry, is that we are all taught that there is 'a path' we should follow to be successful. We're told that if we want to understand things we need to read a certain group of books, listen to certain podcasts, and watch videos produced by ‘so and so.’ If we want to ‘get ahead’ we need to follow the rules, and follow the path others have taken.
I challenge you to lay that aside and choose your own path.
The thing about a journey of self improvement is that is is personal. Earlier I mentioned that each of us hopefully have a vision of what our 'perfect' self would be and we are striving to get there. How would someone else know what that looks like? If they don't know what it looks like, how can they tell us how to get there? I'm not saying that asking for advice, and having conversations about the various aspects of yourself with a trusted mentor isn't important, it is, ultimately though each of us has to make the decisions as to which paths to follow on our journey.
And there are many paths on the journey, it is not a straight line. Every time you look at where you are, what you are doing, what you are going to do, and where you've been, creates a new decision point and a new choice on the path. Embrace that and it makes it easier to make those decisions what will get you then path choice and keep you moving on the journey.
So, take some time and really think about who you want to be, the 'perfect' version of yourself and then choose your own path.