When you are little you think everything is "out there." And then somewhere along the line you think everything is "in here." There's the outward journey and the inward journey...
And then somewhere along the line you realize that it's both, and it's a dance, and you must juggle your perspective, always, every moment. You are dazzled and confounded with the things of the world, and you find strength and insight inside yourself.
You are not helpless. You are not an idiot. You have resources. And you can use them to deal with the world as you find it. That's how you live a full life...