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.