> It's mostly supposed to mean "grow toward (and in the mean-time, fake being) the person you'd be most excited to be if all social knock-on effects were disreg

> It's mostly supposed to mean "grow toward (and in the mean-time, fake being) the person you'd be most excited to be if all social knock-on effects were disregarded." This is basically why I hate "be yourself". It's a tip most often given to people who are socially awkward or insecure, but the intended message is subtle and not present in the actual statement. It's advice that's least clear to the people who need it most.