Understanding "who" and "what" you are is one of the prerequisites for finding balance, peace, happiness, and control in your life. For example, until you know what a car is, and have some idea about how it operates, you are more of a danger than you are in control. Your mind, body, and spirit - and the relationship between them - is much more complex than a car - but much simpler, too.
Imagine your cell phone; and consider that there is a body that you touch and interact with, as well as a power-source, and information stored in a memory card and processor like thoughts and memories stored in your brain and mind. If we compare ourselves to a cell phone, the phone is the "body," the sim-card, or memory card, the brain; and the energy stored in the battery, flowing through the sim-card, and making the whole thing light-up and make noise, would be the "animating force," or spirit.
In order for your cell phone to work properly, or as-designed, all three basic components need to be in working order and joined together the way they were meant to be. When you separate the battery from the phone, it no longer works; likewise, when you separate the "mind" of the phone, it will still work, but it won't work like it did before - it won't remember anyone's phone number, and it won't even remember it's own. A phone without a "mind" is only as useful as a toy; and a phone without a battery is simply dead.
With humans, we have a physical body which is animated by an invisible energy that we only know exists because of the work it does and the effects it causes; we call that energy, "Spirit." Spirit is capable of doing any work and carrying any information - whether or not we nurture it, think about it, or use, guide, or direct it efficiently and effectively. Spirit is life; and spirit is always there and available. Bodies, however, are formed and physical; all such things have a temporary existence, but if we keep the batteries charged and the pieces together, we can dramatically extend the useful life of a phone or a human body.
Cell phones and humans have other things in common, too. They were both designed for a purpose; and they operate within a much larger system - that was also designed for a purpose. The phone cannot ever know who conceived and designed it; nor does it truly know who is using it - or why. Nonetheless, a cell phone can do lots of stuff and make lots of noise; and so can we - without much more understanding of our true nature than a cell phone has of its own. In fact, most people don't know any more about who they are and how they work than they did when they were children. That's good for the people making the calls - and controlling your life; but not so good for you if you want to be in control of your experience.
The thing is, you have a body and, if you're alive, your body is said to be "occupied," or charged with, life, or spirit; but it is the mind that directs the flow of spirit through your body - and shapes your body with and around the spiritual energy available to you. Your mind can be programmed just like the memory of a phone; and anyone can do this "programming" - teachers, preachers, parents, friends, television, etc... And, since it is your mind that controls your emotions (how spirit is flowing through you) and your body, then whoever is programming your mind is controlling most aspects of your life experience. How are their programs working for you?
Think about it; and then take steps to decide what kind of life you want - and program your brain for it. You've done it before and called it, "learning;" now learn something you want to learn for yourself. Teach yourself how to think new thoughts and do new things; then, dial-up any kind of life you want. You can do it; we all can. And, even if you don't remember, you've done this before.