Ai Weiwei is an artist of undoubted renown, but he’s arguably just as well known as a cultural and social activist — someone who takes action through art. His work, which is often provocative and subversive, reflects his staunch political views — something that hasn’t exactly endeared him to the authorities of his homeland, China. But Ai is nothing if not a person of principle. As he told “The Guardian” in 2020, “An artist must also be an activist — aesthetically, morally, or philosophically … Without that kind of consciousness — to be blind to human struggle — one cannot even be called an artist.”

Considered a New Age icon, anthropologist Carlos Castaneda authored a series of books that explored the topics of introspection and transformation. Here, he suggests that resilience and victimhood both require effort — but only one leads to personal growth. Our mindset, Castaneda believed, is not a passive state of being; it’s an active choice we make every day. The same energy we spend on worrying or doubting ourselves can be redirected toward building up our self-love and inner strength. It’s not about how hard we work but where we focus those efforts.