How do you pull yourself together...in life....?

I heard Charlotte Beers speak earlier this week.  She was the head of Ogilvy & Mather, ceiling breaker and former Undersecretary of State.  She just came out with a book titled I’d Rather Be In Charge.

The point she made which stuck with me is that most of us don’t do the necessary research on ourselves.  While we’re the most important asset we each have, we rarely spend time getting to know who we really are.  And she said that when we’ve been backed up against a wall and going through our toughest times is when we show our truest self.  We need to get to know ourselves then use that asset which is who we are.  And that essence is what sets us apart.

I woke up not feeling together this morning.  Then I had to pull myself together because I had things which I had to do.  So I was already thinking about these types of subjects and am considering writing about them.  How do we pull ourselves together?  We all make mistakes; have lapses in judgment; eat, drink or shop too much; yell when we shouldn’t; run into bad luck; get screwed over; and the like.  Sometimes we’re our own worst enemy, while other times that role falls to life or another person.

She also said to learn how to speak by reading poets.

So I’d love to ask…if anyone has any answers:  how do you pull yourself together?  And how do you do the research on yourself, get to know that self and then use that strength to pull yourself together and be your best self?