I can understand why the creative type of person would eventually find themselves tempted to separate themselves from society, because it comes more and more evident to me that pressures of responsibilities have a two fold detrimental affect on creativity. First, they simply take time - that's as simple as it gets. Secondly, because they take so much time and energy/attention they drain a person to a point of involuntariness. So much to do during the day that by the end of it all, a person is so exhausted they'd rather veg than have to refocus their mind on yet another task, even if that task is something they'd typically enjoy.
Listening to: Green Day, "Kill the DJ"
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Linear and Staggered Motivation
I've thought about this multiple times in the past few weeks, but it entered the forefront of my mind again when someone on my Facebook mentioned it in one of their statuses. Something that a lot of people struggle with when it comes to reaching one's goals or simply doing something they don't feel like doing, is motivation. I'm not here, this time, to distinguish the difference in motivation between doing something you enjoy doing and something you do not enjoy doing, but rather, a style of hierarchical view on motivation.
This person, from Facebook, mentioned that we have a finite amount of motivation with which to accomplish tasks and we should be discriminant in our choosing of what to allocate motivational resources...
> Re-read the Facebook post by this person, and they actually talk about "Discipline" rather than Motivation, but as my mind has been wired recently toward the latter, I will continue the discussion as if there were no discrepancy.
...While I agree that people, generally, have a certain reservoir of motivational "juice" with which to power their endeavors, I also feel there are different styles of understanding and maximizing one's motivation. First off, understanding the general difference between long term and short term motivation is imperative. A person with great short term motivation can fall short in their long term goals, but a long term motivatee proves that they have the ability to reach many short term goals to complete the reality of their long term goal (think of check points [short term] before reaching a destination [long term]). However, I feel that a linear path of motivation (similar to my brief thoughts on Success) is sub-optimal as what I try to instill in myself. I see people taking on one objective and following a "checkpoint" pattern of smaller, "chewable" chunks to that long term objective. While this is effective if the person can keep their "eye on the prize" and delay gratification, I feel that there are better ways of maximizing one's motivation - and in some way, make one's motivation almost unlimited depending on the number of objectives that need/want to be fulfilled.
So, to illustrate:
Typical Motivational Pattern:
ST Objective 1A ---> ST Objective 1B ---> ST Objective 1C = LT Objective 1
So, as stated, this works, if that person has enough restraint, will, and ability to see these short term goals fulfilled to have that long term goal put together. Now, this implies that ST Objectives aren't gratifying, which, in most cases, they tend not to be, but rather, they are simply a means to the "real" prize (LT Objective).
Meanwhile, I see motivation as far more dynamic, self sustaining, and efficient.
ST Objective 1A ---> ST Objective 1B ---> ST Objective 1C = LT Objective 1
ST Objective 2A ---> ST Objective 2B = LT Objective 2
Now, you'll see that there are two motivation paths, but that's all I illustrated - there can be more, depending on numbers of LT objectives, difficulty, and the individual themselves. The idea is that although you are motivating yourself to finish one long term objective, it is possible, and favorably so, to take on more long term objectives, if they are shorter in duration or less complex to accomplish. Motivation, from my view, is a general concept that makes us feel good, in general, about ourselves when we finish something that we started. If that is the case, a general sense of accomplishment and progression on the psyche can be used advantageously. People are, in almost all cases, dynamic. If that is true, individuals have more than one goal they'd like to work towards (promotion, beating a video game level, finishing 2 pieces of art, etc). In that case, tackling a larger long term objective and one or more smaller, staggered long term objectives will lead to a "refilling" effect of our motivational "juice". Essentially, as you finish one non-gratifying short term objective in your larger long term objective sequence, it is possible to finish a smaller, gratifying long term objective - this, theoretically and from my experience, makes a person feel positive about their "trend" upwards in their overall life, and as such, their motivation is rekindled/refilled to push onward with their other goals - most notably, their larger long term objective. This method could take longer, but the process is more enjoyable, easier to sustain, and noticeably more effective.
Just a few thoughts on Linear and "Staggered" motivation patterns. There's plenty more to discuss on the topic of motivation, but for now, my mind has nothing else to add. :-]
Listening to: Muse - "Plug In Baby", "Knights of Cydonia", "Hysteria", "Supermassive Black Hole"
This person, from Facebook, mentioned that we have a finite amount of motivation with which to accomplish tasks and we should be discriminant in our choosing of what to allocate motivational resources...
> Re-read the Facebook post by this person, and they actually talk about "Discipline" rather than Motivation, but as my mind has been wired recently toward the latter, I will continue the discussion as if there were no discrepancy.
...While I agree that people, generally, have a certain reservoir of motivational "juice" with which to power their endeavors, I also feel there are different styles of understanding and maximizing one's motivation. First off, understanding the general difference between long term and short term motivation is imperative. A person with great short term motivation can fall short in their long term goals, but a long term motivatee proves that they have the ability to reach many short term goals to complete the reality of their long term goal (think of check points [short term] before reaching a destination [long term]). However, I feel that a linear path of motivation (similar to my brief thoughts on Success) is sub-optimal as what I try to instill in myself. I see people taking on one objective and following a "checkpoint" pattern of smaller, "chewable" chunks to that long term objective. While this is effective if the person can keep their "eye on the prize" and delay gratification, I feel that there are better ways of maximizing one's motivation - and in some way, make one's motivation almost unlimited depending on the number of objectives that need/want to be fulfilled.
So, to illustrate:
Typical Motivational Pattern:
ST Objective 1A ---> ST Objective 1B ---> ST Objective 1C = LT Objective 1
So, as stated, this works, if that person has enough restraint, will, and ability to see these short term goals fulfilled to have that long term goal put together. Now, this implies that ST Objectives aren't gratifying, which, in most cases, they tend not to be, but rather, they are simply a means to the "real" prize (LT Objective).
Meanwhile, I see motivation as far more dynamic, self sustaining, and efficient.
ST Objective 1A ---> ST Objective 1B ---> ST Objective 1C = LT Objective 1
ST Objective 2A ---> ST Objective 2B = LT Objective 2
Now, you'll see that there are two motivation paths, but that's all I illustrated - there can be more, depending on numbers of LT objectives, difficulty, and the individual themselves. The idea is that although you are motivating yourself to finish one long term objective, it is possible, and favorably so, to take on more long term objectives, if they are shorter in duration or less complex to accomplish. Motivation, from my view, is a general concept that makes us feel good, in general, about ourselves when we finish something that we started. If that is the case, a general sense of accomplishment and progression on the psyche can be used advantageously. People are, in almost all cases, dynamic. If that is true, individuals have more than one goal they'd like to work towards (promotion, beating a video game level, finishing 2 pieces of art, etc). In that case, tackling a larger long term objective and one or more smaller, staggered long term objectives will lead to a "refilling" effect of our motivational "juice". Essentially, as you finish one non-gratifying short term objective in your larger long term objective sequence, it is possible to finish a smaller, gratifying long term objective - this, theoretically and from my experience, makes a person feel positive about their "trend" upwards in their overall life, and as such, their motivation is rekindled/refilled to push onward with their other goals - most notably, their larger long term objective. This method could take longer, but the process is more enjoyable, easier to sustain, and noticeably more effective.
Just a few thoughts on Linear and "Staggered" motivation patterns. There's plenty more to discuss on the topic of motivation, but for now, my mind has nothing else to add. :-]
Listening to: Muse - "Plug In Baby", "Knights of Cydonia", "Hysteria", "Supermassive Black Hole"
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Random Thought I: Trees
Random Thought:
How often do people look up at trees? I mean, stop, look straight up and look at the branches hovering overhead.
How often do people look up at trees? I mean, stop, look straight up and look at the branches hovering overhead.
"Karma is a Bitch"
"Karma is a bitch."
I've understood the definition behind this saying for a decent length of time now, and more importantly, the reason for saying it. I'm not a fan. I'm sure you'll be able to tell that I am not a fan of several things, an ultimate flaw of mine for being overly critical, and again, a casualty of my more forgiving emotional disposition willing to dip into the pool of tranquility and bliss while my overarching rational persona stomps around like a grumpy troll - fun times, but I'm still waiting out to see which one wins. Still, in this case, grumpiness will reign a while longer, at the very least.
First off, the people who say, "Karma is a bitch" are typically very bitter in the moment they procure these words from the tips of their envious, jealous, momentarily brutally honest tongues. Usually, it's accompanied with the look of venom etched in every syllable of their face as they stare down an ex, talk about an old high school bully, or someone fitting similar profile. So, is their judgement all too sound? Probably not, but even when it is, people can not seem to rip themselves away from the idea that there is some omnipotent balance of justice weighing us all - Anubis measuring our hearts or Lady Justice weighing out our deeds, or.. you get the picture. I feel like this will be a root theme to many of my rants, but why can't people just be mature, take responsibility, and take what happens to them and others for what it is - no reading into it, no 'super being' slapping down justice to make you feel better, and no measuring stick of who's the better person.
Some people are going to royally fuck you over, no doubt, and if you want to "get revenge" on them, then by all means, knock yourself out; however, do not expect some mysterious Justice League to do the, literal or figurative, beating for you in the name of a mystical, invisible jar of bad deeds filling up on the perps' soul or your "good deed" jar is full enough you can request an air strike on your rival. Haha, I find that hilarious and annoying. If you get screwed over, you can either do something about it or move on, but sitting there muttering curses and praying to the Karma gods to strike your enemy down is ridiculous. It would simply be funny if it weren't for the large amount of people I have met that actually believe when something bad (by their estimation) happens to someone they wouldn't invite over for tea, it is because that person "deserved" it and Karma finally caught up to them. I have so many issues with this, down from the chasm of philosophical thought to more "surface" ideology - from relativism to laziness to pure disdain.
Listening to: Daft Punk
I've understood the definition behind this saying for a decent length of time now, and more importantly, the reason for saying it. I'm not a fan. I'm sure you'll be able to tell that I am not a fan of several things, an ultimate flaw of mine for being overly critical, and again, a casualty of my more forgiving emotional disposition willing to dip into the pool of tranquility and bliss while my overarching rational persona stomps around like a grumpy troll - fun times, but I'm still waiting out to see which one wins. Still, in this case, grumpiness will reign a while longer, at the very least.
First off, the people who say, "Karma is a bitch" are typically very bitter in the moment they procure these words from the tips of their envious, jealous, momentarily brutally honest tongues. Usually, it's accompanied with the look of venom etched in every syllable of their face as they stare down an ex, talk about an old high school bully, or someone fitting similar profile. So, is their judgement all too sound? Probably not, but even when it is, people can not seem to rip themselves away from the idea that there is some omnipotent balance of justice weighing us all - Anubis measuring our hearts or Lady Justice weighing out our deeds, or.. you get the picture. I feel like this will be a root theme to many of my rants, but why can't people just be mature, take responsibility, and take what happens to them and others for what it is - no reading into it, no 'super being' slapping down justice to make you feel better, and no measuring stick of who's the better person.
Some people are going to royally fuck you over, no doubt, and if you want to "get revenge" on them, then by all means, knock yourself out; however, do not expect some mysterious Justice League to do the, literal or figurative, beating for you in the name of a mystical, invisible jar of bad deeds filling up on the perps' soul or your "good deed" jar is full enough you can request an air strike on your rival. Haha, I find that hilarious and annoying. If you get screwed over, you can either do something about it or move on, but sitting there muttering curses and praying to the Karma gods to strike your enemy down is ridiculous. It would simply be funny if it weren't for the large amount of people I have met that actually believe when something bad (by their estimation) happens to someone they wouldn't invite over for tea, it is because that person "deserved" it and Karma finally caught up to them. I have so many issues with this, down from the chasm of philosophical thought to more "surface" ideology - from relativism to laziness to pure disdain.
Listening to: Daft Punk
Business and Trainers in the Industry
Quite soon I'm opening up my business that I've been working on since October. Any day now I will be receiving my business license to commence my venture and give me the ability to help people on their fitness journey. To say I'm a bit nervous is a slight understatement, but as I have faith in my acquired knowledge and my potential to learn quickly and efficiently to a point that my clients will receive the very best i have to offer. I expect great results of myself, and have, for the most part, achieved them, so I will expect similar work ethic and results for the clients I will be taking under my wing in starting, redirecting, or furthering their fitness journey.
I have seen what a majority of the coaches in the industry do to help their clients "succeed" and quite frankly, in most cases, I find it appalling. I mirror those coaches willing to grow with their clients, learn from their mistakes, and create the best possible results the healthiest possible way. On the business side of things, I feel sure I will make mistakes, but nothing I can't fix; meanwhile, on the fitness side of things, I feel very secure in my knowledge and ever growing library of information I gather for my own edification. The industry is full to the brim with personal trainers either corrupt by the money or completely clueless and willingly ignorant to the truths of their "passion".
While some sell their clients supplements and work outs that they know will do little, it keeps their client in an endless loop of trust in a "professional", when in reality, the only change is a draining of the bank account. It makes me angry that, although I am relatively new to the community, I have seen this rampant across all levels of the fitness world (individual PTs, entire companies, and the most influential names in the business). I do not believe that people like that really love what they do, otherwise they would have more respect for how they conduct themselves and they would help their client grow throughout their journey as opposed to keeping them "in the dark" to extend the financial leeching's longevity.
Meanwhile, there are ignorant coaches that simply don't know what is correct (in other words, "healthily optimal"). These coaches can be even worse than the scum that know they are screwing their clients, though; because they think they are doing well, they put more of themselves into doing things wrong (and I realize some of you may think, "well, who are you to say they are absolutely wrong?" - when it comes to fitness, there is only "optimal", "sub-optimal", and "horrible/unhealthy". Telling a person to avoid certain foods, doing an exercise poorly, or anything of the like, can lead to a client getting injured, sometimes for a long duration of time. Where to turn? One word, science. Is that always possible? No. Some people aren't educated or able to read scientific literature (it took me quite some time to be able to read it, thank you Statistics and Research Methods in higher education!) which seems to put them in a bad spot, but there are still certain people in the industry that stand as a beacon of hope (I feel like I'm writing some LoTR references, but I'm not, I assure you) within our community (Lyle McDonald, Eric Cressey, Bret Conteras, Alan.. etc, to name a few) with which a person can be relatively safe reading articles from, or just learn to read scientific literature.
The point is, I don't want to be one of those two breeds of coaches. I want to be one of the best in application. As much as the science interests me, I do not want to revolve myself around gathering research, but I would love to base everything I discuss with clients to be based on the scientific literature available. Keep up to date, essentially. I also believe that a coach should understand the psychology of a client, as well (big surprise there! <sarcasm>). If you can understand, sympathize, empathize with a client you will be able to get through, communicate, and have a more effective relationship - to which goal setting and goal success is not only a physical achievement, but an emotional/mental growth for the both of you.
So, with that in mind, I'm excited to help people, because a lot, and I mean a lot of people ask me for advice on their fitness journeys. As much as I love helping them (the main reason for starting this business venture), it is extremely annoying to pour hours of work into writing up prescription and nutrition break downs to have it used for a day or two before the person gives up on their dream and goes back to chugging beers or whatever their release might be. I expect that the ratio of serious clients to drop out clients will be, at least partially, more proportionally set when financial payment comes into consideration; at least, I can naively hope this is the case - if not, I'll keep trying my best.
I am done standing by and watching the industry wreck itself, but actually step on the side of the few standing up for science, health, and love of our passion. Just a few more days and it all begins for me.
Listening to: Rage Against the Machine.
I have seen what a majority of the coaches in the industry do to help their clients "succeed" and quite frankly, in most cases, I find it appalling. I mirror those coaches willing to grow with their clients, learn from their mistakes, and create the best possible results the healthiest possible way. On the business side of things, I feel sure I will make mistakes, but nothing I can't fix; meanwhile, on the fitness side of things, I feel very secure in my knowledge and ever growing library of information I gather for my own edification. The industry is full to the brim with personal trainers either corrupt by the money or completely clueless and willingly ignorant to the truths of their "passion".
While some sell their clients supplements and work outs that they know will do little, it keeps their client in an endless loop of trust in a "professional", when in reality, the only change is a draining of the bank account. It makes me angry that, although I am relatively new to the community, I have seen this rampant across all levels of the fitness world (individual PTs, entire companies, and the most influential names in the business). I do not believe that people like that really love what they do, otherwise they would have more respect for how they conduct themselves and they would help their client grow throughout their journey as opposed to keeping them "in the dark" to extend the financial leeching's longevity.
Meanwhile, there are ignorant coaches that simply don't know what is correct (in other words, "healthily optimal"). These coaches can be even worse than the scum that know they are screwing their clients, though; because they think they are doing well, they put more of themselves into doing things wrong (and I realize some of you may think, "well, who are you to say they are absolutely wrong?" - when it comes to fitness, there is only "optimal", "sub-optimal", and "horrible/unhealthy". Telling a person to avoid certain foods, doing an exercise poorly, or anything of the like, can lead to a client getting injured, sometimes for a long duration of time. Where to turn? One word, science. Is that always possible? No. Some people aren't educated or able to read scientific literature (it took me quite some time to be able to read it, thank you Statistics and Research Methods in higher education!) which seems to put them in a bad spot, but there are still certain people in the industry that stand as a beacon of hope (I feel like I'm writing some LoTR references, but I'm not, I assure you) within our community (Lyle McDonald, Eric Cressey, Bret Conteras, Alan.. etc, to name a few) with which a person can be relatively safe reading articles from, or just learn to read scientific literature.
The point is, I don't want to be one of those two breeds of coaches. I want to be one of the best in application. As much as the science interests me, I do not want to revolve myself around gathering research, but I would love to base everything I discuss with clients to be based on the scientific literature available. Keep up to date, essentially. I also believe that a coach should understand the psychology of a client, as well (big surprise there! <sarcasm>). If you can understand, sympathize, empathize with a client you will be able to get through, communicate, and have a more effective relationship - to which goal setting and goal success is not only a physical achievement, but an emotional/mental growth for the both of you.
So, with that in mind, I'm excited to help people, because a lot, and I mean a lot of people ask me for advice on their fitness journeys. As much as I love helping them (the main reason for starting this business venture), it is extremely annoying to pour hours of work into writing up prescription and nutrition break downs to have it used for a day or two before the person gives up on their dream and goes back to chugging beers or whatever their release might be. I expect that the ratio of serious clients to drop out clients will be, at least partially, more proportionally set when financial payment comes into consideration; at least, I can naively hope this is the case - if not, I'll keep trying my best.
I am done standing by and watching the industry wreck itself, but actually step on the side of the few standing up for science, health, and love of our passion. Just a few more days and it all begins for me.
Listening to: Rage Against the Machine.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
The "Attached" Relationship
Relationships – probably the subject of greatest emotion and
friction during one's life. However, particularly speaking, the romantic
relationship seems to strike everyone with a level of rash moodiness that is
seldom encountered between friends, family, or one's relationship with their
pet (hardly debatable that the latter would be a lower rung relationship due to
its lack of complexity, but nonetheless, a relationship). The romantic
relationship is wrought in emotional attachment within the vast majority of
western couples, and seems to consume any other/alternative prospective
perspective in its insatiable hunger to make the connection between two people
a one dimensional affair. This affair is an assault to the variable,
intellectual relationship I tend to think is more advantageous,healthy, and has
a higher rate of longevity.
The attached relationship I see a lot of people engage in
is, essentially, a “buy in” into a person. That “buy in” is giving another
person the responsibility to rise up and be, not only part of the relationship,
but a responsible party of that person. This is such a massive undertaking that
when the “honey moon” phase of most romances comes to a close, the “high” of
the honey moon (that helps each person take immense responsibility over their
new suitor) dissipates and the reality takes its stead; as a result, the
pressure mounts, expectations begin not to be met, and friction is born. This
is not a relationship that is destined to “go the distance”, because the
relationship is already so taxing that it becomes a greater burden than
expected. Not only that, but the relationship is typically foundation-less due
as its sustenance on sexuality (an important trait, given) and emotion (also
important, but more for appreciation, not in the context of burden) with
absolutely no focus on intellectual and creative attributes that make a person
unique in their own right. I believe that an appreciation of a person for who
they truly are coupled with physical attractiveness leads to a strong
emotional, simultaneously supportive bond between two individuals (Individuality
within a relationship is another discussion topic that I've touched on in
Facebook, but I will expound on here in the future).
I realize I'm speaking in generalities, and in most cases,
this leads to false judgments, but I don't aim to be completely politically
correct throughout the entirety of my blog.
Listening to: Paramore
Listening to: Paramore
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Education and Maturity
I just turned 24 a few weeks ago and I can safely say that these last 3-4 years have been my greatest years of mental and physical growth since I was kid. Given, I have far more growth ahead of me, but I am impressed and curious as to why things have, as of late, "clicked" on how to lead my own life, how to handle myself, and where I see myself going. Don't get me wrong, I still have uncertainties and my maturity has holes that still need fixing, but in comparison to who I was when I was 20, I am impressed with whatever has happened to get me here. I wasn't an idiot when I was 20; I would still be happy to know my 20 year old self, but I prefer my current self.
Anyway, when I was 20, I firmly believed that psychology or philosophy were the routes destined for me. I loved both subjects dearly and I am clearly still fascinated with each, but I found that packaging those subjects into something structured that I would learn and use on a buyer just didn't sit quite right for me. In a way, I imagine my love for both as a love unrestricted by formal education. I enjoy them, I surround myself with them, but I do not want to leash them into structure and use them for financial benefit. Instead, around the age 23 I turned my focus to physiology, biomechanics, and nutrition; now, these subjects I loved, as well, but I could see myself structuring, packaging, and building a career around these interests far more than my "free bird" mentality with psychology and philosophy. It took me 5 years from my entrance in university education for me to realize this, and that is of interest to me.
I think it's interesting and a little crazy to imagine a student coming into the university system at 18 years old and expecting them to immediately "know" where they will find their position of most effectiveness in society. Given, there are ideas the university implements, like testing out elective courses one's first two years to find what might spark interest, but even that attempt is a rather weak one to legitimize a system of education that seems subpar in educating the right youth (yes, I'm discarding the minority population of older students) students with their individualized, proper interests, because, by some degree, it isn't the university's fault. 18 years old is too young for most, and I don't mean that in an age context, but rather, a lack of maturity.
Does a lack of maturity mean its' the student's fault, though? I'd argue no. Their atmosphere is completely different, they are bombarded with new found pressure, they have far more responsibility, they are "googly eyed" about everything they encounter, their mind is overstimulated, and finally, (sorry, neuroscience, I'm using you against yourself) our brain does not fully develop until the age 25-26. Do we really expect students to soak in all this information, make responsible decisions, and come out with the exact degree they should have gone into, unscathed? I find the success rate of those three compounded conditions to be very low. I think many people have come to the same conclusion, and yet, nothing is being done; I'm not going to even begin speculating as to why not, because I'm sure it's a bunch of bureaucratic bull. However, it took me 5 years to find the degree I really wanted to do, and while I'm sure some have matured quicker than I have and have found the exact degree and career path they'd like to within the first 2 years of their collegiate time table, the vast majority don't find themselves in their proper degree until later - sometimes never.
So, the massive increase in social pressure from high school to university is laughable, especially when these students are suddenly ripped away from the support system they had for the previous 18 years of life; and then, imagine having parents unable to understand the complexities of a late teenager's mind while bombarded by sudden social, financial, and personal pressures: my oh my, I have sympathy. I was blessed enough to have two incredibly supportive parents that based their support of me on my individual growth, largely non-compared to what my peers were doing. Of course, I had to make strides for the betterment and individualization of my person, but if that criteria was met, I had support - many do not, or their parents compare them to their peers and the screwed up American view that certain successes should be met within particular time margins. That "results now" attitude has many drawbacks in the psycho-emotional state of mind of young students. Some can handle it, but simply because they handle it does not make them better people for it. Believe it or not, even at the ripe old age of 18, 19, 20+ you're still yearning for parental approval and learning from your parent's way of handling situations. Do I absolve an 18, 19, 20+ year old of everything? No. Obviously there needs to be effort on their part, but the standard that 18 years old is the age where heaping responsibilities are placed - no thanks, keep your cigarettes, draft card, and legal sentencing, I'll stay 17.
Essentially, what I'm trying to say is: the standardization of young adults is preposterous, outdated, and plain ignorant. It's funny that we try and recognize how specific and different every human on this planet is, yet we generalize our social expectations on everyone alike. Granted, it's easier this way, but some small tweaks to the system could make everything much more efficient in educating young adults in the subjects they'd really appreciate. Plato had some interesting thoughts on the education system, some of which I share here.
Anyway, I'm back in school, clear, quite engaged in my degree and happy about it; I have met others that seem extremely excited about what they will be doing in the future, and I am glad to hear it - that's what we, as a society, need. What society, as a whole, needs, though, is to become more flexible, understanding, and diverse to become far more efficient and enthusiastic.
That's a short piece on one of my issues with the higher education system, but like I said, students shouldn't be relieved of all responsibility for their failures or mistakes. I have seen many instances of people reducing themselves to nothing, because of the inability to compose themselves, identify themselves, in desirable social situations (going out, partying, etc), which has it's positives and severe negatives.
Anyway, when I was 20, I firmly believed that psychology or philosophy were the routes destined for me. I loved both subjects dearly and I am clearly still fascinated with each, but I found that packaging those subjects into something structured that I would learn and use on a buyer just didn't sit quite right for me. In a way, I imagine my love for both as a love unrestricted by formal education. I enjoy them, I surround myself with them, but I do not want to leash them into structure and use them for financial benefit. Instead, around the age 23 I turned my focus to physiology, biomechanics, and nutrition; now, these subjects I loved, as well, but I could see myself structuring, packaging, and building a career around these interests far more than my "free bird" mentality with psychology and philosophy. It took me 5 years from my entrance in university education for me to realize this, and that is of interest to me.
I think it's interesting and a little crazy to imagine a student coming into the university system at 18 years old and expecting them to immediately "know" where they will find their position of most effectiveness in society. Given, there are ideas the university implements, like testing out elective courses one's first two years to find what might spark interest, but even that attempt is a rather weak one to legitimize a system of education that seems subpar in educating the right youth (yes, I'm discarding the minority population of older students) students with their individualized, proper interests, because, by some degree, it isn't the university's fault. 18 years old is too young for most, and I don't mean that in an age context, but rather, a lack of maturity.
Does a lack of maturity mean its' the student's fault, though? I'd argue no. Their atmosphere is completely different, they are bombarded with new found pressure, they have far more responsibility, they are "googly eyed" about everything they encounter, their mind is overstimulated, and finally, (sorry, neuroscience, I'm using you against yourself) our brain does not fully develop until the age 25-26. Do we really expect students to soak in all this information, make responsible decisions, and come out with the exact degree they should have gone into, unscathed? I find the success rate of those three compounded conditions to be very low. I think many people have come to the same conclusion, and yet, nothing is being done; I'm not going to even begin speculating as to why not, because I'm sure it's a bunch of bureaucratic bull. However, it took me 5 years to find the degree I really wanted to do, and while I'm sure some have matured quicker than I have and have found the exact degree and career path they'd like to within the first 2 years of their collegiate time table, the vast majority don't find themselves in their proper degree until later - sometimes never.
So, the massive increase in social pressure from high school to university is laughable, especially when these students are suddenly ripped away from the support system they had for the previous 18 years of life; and then, imagine having parents unable to understand the complexities of a late teenager's mind while bombarded by sudden social, financial, and personal pressures: my oh my, I have sympathy. I was blessed enough to have two incredibly supportive parents that based their support of me on my individual growth, largely non-compared to what my peers were doing. Of course, I had to make strides for the betterment and individualization of my person, but if that criteria was met, I had support - many do not, or their parents compare them to their peers and the screwed up American view that certain successes should be met within particular time margins. That "results now" attitude has many drawbacks in the psycho-emotional state of mind of young students. Some can handle it, but simply because they handle it does not make them better people for it. Believe it or not, even at the ripe old age of 18, 19, 20+ you're still yearning for parental approval and learning from your parent's way of handling situations. Do I absolve an 18, 19, 20+ year old of everything? No. Obviously there needs to be effort on their part, but the standard that 18 years old is the age where heaping responsibilities are placed - no thanks, keep your cigarettes, draft card, and legal sentencing, I'll stay 17.
Essentially, what I'm trying to say is: the standardization of young adults is preposterous, outdated, and plain ignorant. It's funny that we try and recognize how specific and different every human on this planet is, yet we generalize our social expectations on everyone alike. Granted, it's easier this way, but some small tweaks to the system could make everything much more efficient in educating young adults in the subjects they'd really appreciate. Plato had some interesting thoughts on the education system, some of which I share here.
Anyway, I'm back in school, clear, quite engaged in my degree and happy about it; I have met others that seem extremely excited about what they will be doing in the future, and I am glad to hear it - that's what we, as a society, need. What society, as a whole, needs, though, is to become more flexible, understanding, and diverse to become far more efficient and enthusiastic.
That's a short piece on one of my issues with the higher education system, but like I said, students shouldn't be relieved of all responsibility for their failures or mistakes. I have seen many instances of people reducing themselves to nothing, because of the inability to compose themselves, identify themselves, in desirable social situations (going out, partying, etc), which has it's positives and severe negatives.
The Mind
The mind: one of my favorite topics of discussion and a focal point to many of my discussions (could be my psychology degree speaking). One of, if not the, greatest tool in our arsenal as human beings. It has a massive impact in defining us as individuals within our own species; it makes us interesting or dis-interesting to every other individual on this planet and while we search the skies and the oceans for untold mysteries waiting to be solved, our minds have yet to be fully understood; sometimes I wonder, how can we begin to look outside of ourselves when we haven't even captured the potential of our own powerhouse?
I wouldn't even know where to begin in testing the wealth of potential I believe our minds have yet to unveil to us, but the fascination with everything "other" than ourselves is something that I have been puzzled over for several years now and something I'd like to explore in greater detail. The mind is, for a lack of better words, "mind-blowing" in a strange subconscious to conscious comparison. Freud may not have been right about many things, but his ideas on the unconscious, subconscious, and conscious mind are brilliant observations in their own right. Imagine, your mind is capable of storing an infinite amount of information unconsciously and subconsciously, able to protect the conscious you by burying traumatic experience within the analogical "subconscious vault", and run every system (cells replicating, killing viruses, building muscle, losing fat, putting you to sleep, secreting hormones, adjusting pupil dilation, regulating heat within a few degrees, lowering and heightening energy expenditure, attenuating to sound, moving body parts, calcifying bone, digesting, regulating pH, among thousands of other activities) your body demands of it every nanosecond of every second of every minute of every hour of every day... flawlessly, while also supplying your conscious mind with enough power to solve relatively complex daily tasks and problems, and never compromising the conscious mind of its throne over both the subconscious and unconscious mind with a relative use of 10% of the brain at one time (strong 'sentence'). What an incredible, emotionally stirring, awe inspiring thing of godly beauty we each carry within us. It seems a discredit for us to not worship, respect ourselves every day, because from a psycho-microbiological perspective, we are amazing beyond our own knowledge. Even as I write this, I can only speculate in the darkness of our future physio-psychological growth.
I have more to write on the subject - actually, a large amount, but my own mind sweeps me to another thought best left in a separate post, so I'm giving it what it wants and moving on for the time being.
Listening to: Gorillaz, "Cloud of Unknowing"
I wouldn't even know where to begin in testing the wealth of potential I believe our minds have yet to unveil to us, but the fascination with everything "other" than ourselves is something that I have been puzzled over for several years now and something I'd like to explore in greater detail. The mind is, for a lack of better words, "mind-blowing" in a strange subconscious to conscious comparison. Freud may not have been right about many things, but his ideas on the unconscious, subconscious, and conscious mind are brilliant observations in their own right. Imagine, your mind is capable of storing an infinite amount of information unconsciously and subconsciously, able to protect the conscious you by burying traumatic experience within the analogical "subconscious vault", and run every system (cells replicating, killing viruses, building muscle, losing fat, putting you to sleep, secreting hormones, adjusting pupil dilation, regulating heat within a few degrees, lowering and heightening energy expenditure, attenuating to sound, moving body parts, calcifying bone, digesting, regulating pH, among thousands of other activities) your body demands of it every nanosecond of every second of every minute of every hour of every day... flawlessly, while also supplying your conscious mind with enough power to solve relatively complex daily tasks and problems, and never compromising the conscious mind of its throne over both the subconscious and unconscious mind with a relative use of 10% of the brain at one time (strong 'sentence'). What an incredible, emotionally stirring, awe inspiring thing of godly beauty we each carry within us. It seems a discredit for us to not worship, respect ourselves every day, because from a psycho-microbiological perspective, we are amazing beyond our own knowledge. Even as I write this, I can only speculate in the darkness of our future physio-psychological growth.
I have more to write on the subject - actually, a large amount, but my own mind sweeps me to another thought best left in a separate post, so I'm giving it what it wants and moving on for the time being.
Listening to: Gorillaz, "Cloud of Unknowing"
Friday, February 21, 2014
Success
It's a Friday night and the library at my university closes in 45 minutes, but I would like to touch on the concept of "success" from a very linear, single perspective, subjective perspective.
Look at your idols, look at your heroes, look at the people you consider successful, and often you'll notice that they talk about what needs to be done to be successful like them. Most of them discuss success as if it is a linear path, a gradual movement upwards while some discuss success in the overused "rollercoaster" analogy of "ups" and "downs". They are happy to discuss it, because they have been recognized as having reached success, and this may very well might be the case. I'm not here to debate what the word (or idea) "success" denotes (although, it does sound like something I would, and probably will, do), but rather, to discuss the reality of a journey to success.
The reality is that all your heroes are human (not a revolutionary thought, and also an abundant thought), so they each had their trials, and although some pushed through with sheer will, hunger, and sometimes some help, there are others that floundered and had to find other avenues to success; this is a reality that many do not discuss (although, again, some do). The reality is often not demonstrated int he words that come from their mouths. Now that the journey to success is in "hindsight", it is easy to twist, manipulate, adapt, and exception stories to make them seem more grandiose of feats, or make it seem as if they are so brilliant they rarely found themselves stumped. Again, for some, this is a truth.
My point is, most of them fucked up a lot. Most of them aren't special from you, they simply found themselves in advantageous positions or they kept fucking up until they fit through a crack and found their "road" to the illustrious golden throne of success. A small percentage of those heroes and inspirations (so, mind you, an unbelievably small population of the average population) have been gifted with great ability that will forever stun us, mark us, touch us through human history as nigh "superhuman" in greatness; ambassadors of the human species. Even a majority of them had to work hard to reach their goals.
So, what does "work hard" mean?
Let me explain. Inb4 you're not successful, Nic, you just turned 24 > I know, these are thoughts of a human, not a reflection of self crowned greatness.
Working hard means having an established goal and stopping at little to slow down to reach that goal. News? Hardly. We all know this, and although 98% of people don't implement it, we almost all know it. That being said, does that mean you should tirelessly aim to push, push, push upwards? No. I believe success comes from a beautiful harmony between your current and your future self. You must know where you will go in your future self, have a plan, and stick to it within reason. At the same time, you shouldn't lose sight of things in front of you. Always keep that healthy unsettlement, restlessness in the back of your mind to remind you that you are not where you will be, but look at the things in front of you and appreciate what you have done, others have done, to reach where you are now. So, is it a straight line of hard work to reach success? Hell no. A more apt understanding of success is a "pulse".
Happy now (enjoying the journey) > Push for greater happiness with accomplishment of short term goal > Happy now (enjoying the journey) > Push for greater happiness with accomplishment of short term goal >
Happy now (enjoying the journey), etc. etc. until = reach long term goal, and overall happiness should increase.
Is it a rollercoaster? Not exactly. I feel as if a lot of successful people measure the "good" and the "bad" within their journey as the "ups" and "downs" of a rollercoaster, but I see it as a flat line of constant happiness, then a self made surge to increase overall happiness, then taking a break, enjoying what you've done and returning back to that flat line of happiness. A lot like a pulse monitor in a hospital room hooked to a patient. Will you go through negatives? Absolutely, but if you have found the correct path/journey for your personal happiness, then any assault to that happiness is proportionally tiny in the landscape of your happiness (although, within the 24 hour, week long, month long moment that negative may seem to be sucking the life out of you). If you have truly found happiness, you will enjoy its ever present cover, meanwhile scanning for opportunities that will increase your overall happiness. You will make 'wrong' choices, you will have 'bad' things happen to you, but your happiness, in some people, can grow intrinsically which makes it even more potent, so no matter the extrinsic negatives, the self always knows what will make it truly happy, you just have to open yourself to yourself to understand yourself (sounds like a rap lyric).
I usually calculate my words better than this, so I may write on this again, but as I have 5 minutes remaining, I must cut this short. I realize this is probably confusing, and when I read back through it I will likely think, "WTF?", but eventually my mind will recollect those crazy thoughts and I'll understand these words well enough for me to continue to explain.
Oh, and yes, I did turn "success" into "happiness", because true happiness (and don't fucking lie to yourself; if you're not happy, be honest with yourself to make yourself feel better) will always trump success in its social, financial definition.
Look at your idols, look at your heroes, look at the people you consider successful, and often you'll notice that they talk about what needs to be done to be successful like them. Most of them discuss success as if it is a linear path, a gradual movement upwards while some discuss success in the overused "rollercoaster" analogy of "ups" and "downs". They are happy to discuss it, because they have been recognized as having reached success, and this may very well might be the case. I'm not here to debate what the word (or idea) "success" denotes (although, it does sound like something I would, and probably will, do), but rather, to discuss the reality of a journey to success.
The reality is that all your heroes are human (not a revolutionary thought, and also an abundant thought), so they each had their trials, and although some pushed through with sheer will, hunger, and sometimes some help, there are others that floundered and had to find other avenues to success; this is a reality that many do not discuss (although, again, some do). The reality is often not demonstrated int he words that come from their mouths. Now that the journey to success is in "hindsight", it is easy to twist, manipulate, adapt, and exception stories to make them seem more grandiose of feats, or make it seem as if they are so brilliant they rarely found themselves stumped. Again, for some, this is a truth.
My point is, most of them fucked up a lot. Most of them aren't special from you, they simply found themselves in advantageous positions or they kept fucking up until they fit through a crack and found their "road" to the illustrious golden throne of success. A small percentage of those heroes and inspirations (so, mind you, an unbelievably small population of the average population) have been gifted with great ability that will forever stun us, mark us, touch us through human history as nigh "superhuman" in greatness; ambassadors of the human species. Even a majority of them had to work hard to reach their goals.
So, what does "work hard" mean?
Let me explain. Inb4 you're not successful, Nic, you just turned 24 > I know, these are thoughts of a human, not a reflection of self crowned greatness.
Working hard means having an established goal and stopping at little to slow down to reach that goal. News? Hardly. We all know this, and although 98% of people don't implement it, we almost all know it. That being said, does that mean you should tirelessly aim to push, push, push upwards? No. I believe success comes from a beautiful harmony between your current and your future self. You must know where you will go in your future self, have a plan, and stick to it within reason. At the same time, you shouldn't lose sight of things in front of you. Always keep that healthy unsettlement, restlessness in the back of your mind to remind you that you are not where you will be, but look at the things in front of you and appreciate what you have done, others have done, to reach where you are now. So, is it a straight line of hard work to reach success? Hell no. A more apt understanding of success is a "pulse".
Happy now (enjoying the journey) > Push for greater happiness with accomplishment of short term goal > Happy now (enjoying the journey) > Push for greater happiness with accomplishment of short term goal >
Happy now (enjoying the journey), etc. etc. until = reach long term goal, and overall happiness should increase.
Is it a rollercoaster? Not exactly. I feel as if a lot of successful people measure the "good" and the "bad" within their journey as the "ups" and "downs" of a rollercoaster, but I see it as a flat line of constant happiness, then a self made surge to increase overall happiness, then taking a break, enjoying what you've done and returning back to that flat line of happiness. A lot like a pulse monitor in a hospital room hooked to a patient. Will you go through negatives? Absolutely, but if you have found the correct path/journey for your personal happiness, then any assault to that happiness is proportionally tiny in the landscape of your happiness (although, within the 24 hour, week long, month long moment that negative may seem to be sucking the life out of you). If you have truly found happiness, you will enjoy its ever present cover, meanwhile scanning for opportunities that will increase your overall happiness. You will make 'wrong' choices, you will have 'bad' things happen to you, but your happiness, in some people, can grow intrinsically which makes it even more potent, so no matter the extrinsic negatives, the self always knows what will make it truly happy, you just have to open yourself to yourself to understand yourself (sounds like a rap lyric).
I usually calculate my words better than this, so I may write on this again, but as I have 5 minutes remaining, I must cut this short. I realize this is probably confusing, and when I read back through it I will likely think, "WTF?", but eventually my mind will recollect those crazy thoughts and I'll understand these words well enough for me to continue to explain.
Oh, and yes, I did turn "success" into "happiness", because true happiness (and don't fucking lie to yourself; if you're not happy, be honest with yourself to make yourself feel better) will always trump success in its social, financial definition.
Reader, begin here...
Hi,
Welcome to a snippet of my thoughts. If I know you, then I extend an emphatic "Hiii!" and if not, then an almost equally emphatic "Hello!". I'd like to explain why I've decided to take on this casual venture of beginning a blog; not necessarily for your benefit, but so I can get a starting point to this whole affair, and beginning without thinking is something I often struggle with, so why not do it in a medium I am extremely comfortable with: writing.
So, why did I suddenly (suddenly, by my time table) decide to engage in the introspective, expressive experience of blogging? Simply, I love writing. Without that prerequisite, I wouldn't be here. Aside from that, I have been writing for a few years now on a variety of subjects through mediums like Facebook or just privately, and as of late, I've written less, which I find to be, in some respects, a shame. I have been busy influencing myself in other aspects of growth, so time was not wasted, but as writing is my elevator to my legacy I'd like to get back to it. Still, why not go back to writing on Facebook or simply writing on my computer in the privacy of my quarters?
Well, I will still be doing that, but I have told myself for the most recent few years that I should really expand greatly on some of the interesting (at least, I find them interesting.. go figure) ideas that pop up in my head every day; and I promise you, it is as if an armada invades my mind every day with the sheer volume of thoughts that catch my interest and I ping pong around in my head while going about almost any activity during my day; I have been blessed with a highly capable mind and plan on slowly pushing my potentials from a lovingly intellectual direction. How will a blog help me achieve this, though, I thought. Again, I feel as if a blog about some of my wildest, most interesting (subjectively, selectively speaking, of course) ideas will eventually teach me to control some of my more valuable ideas that I'd like to expound into book form in the future. As I said, I am very proud of my mind and intimate with my writing, so I see this as a valuable exercise in tapping into a potential I feel I have yet to fully exploit and show the world, as well as myself.
For those of you that have known me, you will surely recognize that I am deeply passionate about physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, and anything related to fitness and movement; although I feel that passion will lead me to a successful career that I will fall deeply in love with, I have always put my mind at the forefront save for the past year or so when I "slacked" off my writing to focus on learning and absorbing information in hopes to better myself in my career. I suppose, I'd like to redefine my relationship with myself in a very slow, methodological manner to which my mind and body are equally recognized and this harmony will, to my belief, lead me to a floating point of bliss in my life; if not, then I have confidence I will find another path (not to denigrate my current position, which is a position of relative happiness and satisfaction).
In this blog, I feel I will loosen a bit from social convention and feel more at ease with expressing more thoughts in greater quality than I can in a "status update" on Facebook. Generally, I shy away from engaging in more social media, but, if you qualify this as social media, this seems very well worth it and beneficial on a multitude of levels.
Having said all that, I will still be restricting myself in certain aspects. I do believe in privacy, and as such, my introversionary (made that word up, don't bother looking it up) self has always demanded that certain secrets are better off left within oneself for personal reasons, but more so, for intellectual soundness in that some of my deepest thoughts remain mine until I can publish them in official manner to forever stamp them as mine.
Finally, although I may be more vocal and expressive in some of my ideas, ideologies I must remind you that if you ever meet me in person, you will find that respect, rationality, and an objective lens are held in the utmost regard and implemented as such. However, in here, my mind's eye, I will be bypassing many of these rational safety nets in many instances. Now, that being said, many times, my mind battles a tugglewar with emotional satisfaction and cool, rational objectivity regardless of my later "filters" to reprocess anything my initial gut may have passed initial inspection.
Very well, I think I've said my piece. All that there's left to do is...
Welcome to the psycho-philo-nutri-fito-emotional-intellectual landscape, and remember, this only a glimpse, a snapshot, a string of a far more complex mind at work: Enjoy.
Listening to: Gorillaz, "Don't Get Lost In Heaven/Demon Days" (shocker)
Welcome to a snippet of my thoughts. If I know you, then I extend an emphatic "Hiii!" and if not, then an almost equally emphatic "Hello!". I'd like to explain why I've decided to take on this casual venture of beginning a blog; not necessarily for your benefit, but so I can get a starting point to this whole affair, and beginning without thinking is something I often struggle with, so why not do it in a medium I am extremely comfortable with: writing.
So, why did I suddenly (suddenly, by my time table) decide to engage in the introspective, expressive experience of blogging? Simply, I love writing. Without that prerequisite, I wouldn't be here. Aside from that, I have been writing for a few years now on a variety of subjects through mediums like Facebook or just privately, and as of late, I've written less, which I find to be, in some respects, a shame. I have been busy influencing myself in other aspects of growth, so time was not wasted, but as writing is my elevator to my legacy I'd like to get back to it. Still, why not go back to writing on Facebook or simply writing on my computer in the privacy of my quarters?
Well, I will still be doing that, but I have told myself for the most recent few years that I should really expand greatly on some of the interesting (at least, I find them interesting.. go figure) ideas that pop up in my head every day; and I promise you, it is as if an armada invades my mind every day with the sheer volume of thoughts that catch my interest and I ping pong around in my head while going about almost any activity during my day; I have been blessed with a highly capable mind and plan on slowly pushing my potentials from a lovingly intellectual direction. How will a blog help me achieve this, though, I thought. Again, I feel as if a blog about some of my wildest, most interesting (subjectively, selectively speaking, of course) ideas will eventually teach me to control some of my more valuable ideas that I'd like to expound into book form in the future. As I said, I am very proud of my mind and intimate with my writing, so I see this as a valuable exercise in tapping into a potential I feel I have yet to fully exploit and show the world, as well as myself.
For those of you that have known me, you will surely recognize that I am deeply passionate about physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, and anything related to fitness and movement; although I feel that passion will lead me to a successful career that I will fall deeply in love with, I have always put my mind at the forefront save for the past year or so when I "slacked" off my writing to focus on learning and absorbing information in hopes to better myself in my career. I suppose, I'd like to redefine my relationship with myself in a very slow, methodological manner to which my mind and body are equally recognized and this harmony will, to my belief, lead me to a floating point of bliss in my life; if not, then I have confidence I will find another path (not to denigrate my current position, which is a position of relative happiness and satisfaction).
In this blog, I feel I will loosen a bit from social convention and feel more at ease with expressing more thoughts in greater quality than I can in a "status update" on Facebook. Generally, I shy away from engaging in more social media, but, if you qualify this as social media, this seems very well worth it and beneficial on a multitude of levels.
Having said all that, I will still be restricting myself in certain aspects. I do believe in privacy, and as such, my introversionary (made that word up, don't bother looking it up) self has always demanded that certain secrets are better off left within oneself for personal reasons, but more so, for intellectual soundness in that some of my deepest thoughts remain mine until I can publish them in official manner to forever stamp them as mine.
Finally, although I may be more vocal and expressive in some of my ideas, ideologies I must remind you that if you ever meet me in person, you will find that respect, rationality, and an objective lens are held in the utmost regard and implemented as such. However, in here, my mind's eye, I will be bypassing many of these rational safety nets in many instances. Now, that being said, many times, my mind battles a tugglewar with emotional satisfaction and cool, rational objectivity regardless of my later "filters" to reprocess anything my initial gut may have passed initial inspection.
Very well, I think I've said my piece. All that there's left to do is...
Welcome to the psycho-philo-nutri-fito-emotional-intellectual landscape, and remember, this only a glimpse, a snapshot, a string of a far more complex mind at work: Enjoy.
Listening to: Gorillaz, "Don't Get Lost In Heaven/Demon Days" (shocker)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)