There is a difference between wanting to grow and believing the person you are now is the problem. Both can look productive from the outside. You can be setting goals, changing your habits, and collecting advice in either state. The difference is what you are trying to prove.
Growth rooted in curiosity leaves room to notice what actually works for you. Growth rooted in rejection keeps moving the finish line. There is always a better outfit, a stronger résumé, a more confident answer, or a version of your life that looks easier to explain. You can keep improving and still feel permanently behind.
I care about self-expression because it makes this tension visible. Style can be a way to try on an idea of yourself, not a test you have to pass. The same is true of a new job, a creative project, or a decision to start over. Experimenting does not require you to dislike the person who began.
A question I return to is: would I still want this change if nobody saw the result? If the answer is yes, it may be a direction worth following. If the answer is no, I want to understand whose approval I am working for before I make it my whole plan.
Becoming yourself is not a final reveal. It is learning to make choices you can recognize as your own while you are still in progress.