No matter how much a person tries to find ways to be happy (money, fame, pleasures, etc.), they will achieve nothing, since happiness leads to the good, and the good is God Himself and what He ordains and commands. Therefore, reading `Know Thyself` is a valuable aid in an era where being a Christian is, for many, a custom without demands or a matter of taste. A reminder that `the kingdom of God is not for those who sleep and are foolish, but the violent take it by force` (Clement of Alexandria). Saint Nektarios is not interested in writing a literary work; he knows that good teachings are useless if they do not help you change your life or at least its direction. [Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]