our imperfections, we by that very fact continually lay hold on
whatever perfect is within our reach.



X

When then we ask whether at any moment we are fully persons, we must
answer, No. The actual extent of personality is at any time small. It
is rather a goal than something ever attained. We have seen that it is
not to be described in terms of the verb "to be." We cannot say "I am
a person," but, only "I ought to be a person. I am seeking to be." The
great body of our life is, we know, a purely natural affair. Our
instincts, our wayward impulses, our unconnected disorderly purposes--
these, which fill the larger portion of our existence, do not express
our personal nature. Each of them goes on its own way, neglectful of
the whole. Therefore we must confess that at no time can we account
ourselves completed persons. Justly we use such strange expressions as
"He is much of a person," "He is very little of a person." Personality
is an affair of degree. We are moving toward it, but have not yet
arrived. "Man partly is and wholly hopes to be." And can we ever
arrive? I do not see how. We are chasing a flying goal. The nearer we
approach, the farther it removes. Shall we call this fact
discouraging, then, or even say that self-development is a useless
process, since it never can be fulfilled? I think not. I should rather
specify this feature of it as our chief source of encouragement; for I
hold that only those aims which do thus contain an infinite element
and are, strictly speaking, unattainable, move mankind to passionate
pursuit. Probably all will agree that riches, fame, and wisdom are
ideals which predominantly move us, and they are all unattainable.