Joseph Maynor

What Is Your Reaction To This Video From Leo On Giving Personal Development Advice?

6 posts in this topic

Makes me think of the Movie "The Edge" with Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins.

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This video has struck a deep-chord with me and has made me sensitive to what kind of adivice I give on here.  We are all at different stages of the journey.  I see this as a growth opportunity for me.  

The worst thing we can do as advice-givers is lead somebody away from what is good for them.  Or perhaps to solidify some unfortunate belief through an idiosyncratic or hasty choice of words.  

But like Leo says, I believe in advice too, and I have benefitted by so many advice-givers in my life.  But knowing that I come from a rather unusual perspective is humbling me in just spouting-off some hasty advice without considering the variety of perspectives in the audience reading.  I'm not saying I treat things hasty over the norm on here, but I'm just more sensitive to the issue now.  

Isn't the first rule of doctors to cause no harm?  That's a great standard that applies to personal development advice-givers too. It's a nice rule for all of us, since we all share opinions publically on here and are influencing many people with our words potentially.  I want my words to help not hinder.

Finally, I think it is healthy to examine our motives for giving advice.  Just be mindful when you are giving advice and see what is there underneath you as you deliver your words to an audience of readers.  This applies to me too of course.  Try to see what is driving your behavior.  Not what you think is there but what is actually there.  The mind will hide the truth sometimes. 

Here's a cliche that will probably goose your ego a little bit -- those who do do those who can't do teach.  I'm not saying this is true, but consider the source of who is giving you advice.  Maybe the advice-giver is a 40 year-old sleeping in his mother's basement. It's a relevant issue to consider, that's all.  And I'm not saying an unsuccessful person can't give good advice either.  And I'm not saying every 40 year-old living in his mother's basement is a loser either. Maybe they are the smartest haha.  Who knows.  It's a case by case.

Edited by Joseph Maynor

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On 8/19/2017 at 11:18 AM, RichardY said:

Makes me think of the Movie "The Edge" with Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins.

That's one of my favorite movies!  There's a lot about ego revealed in that movie.  And the contrast between lower-self and higher-self.  And how to never quit.  The difference between someone who is highly-developed and someone who is still a child inside.

Edited by Joseph Maynor

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@Joseph Maynor Had a few additional thoughts, might be going off topic a bit. I find looking at the etymology of words often helps with comprehension. So with advice(to See) or Teach(to Show). I think the trick is more on the perceiving end, rather than the seeing side. So some form of value system, to direct your perceptions. If you don't share values, respect is not possible.

Personal Development - Why need Personal Development or why wouldn't you need it? Would P.D appeal much to an Amish, Amazonian or African Tribesman? I think people in the West and maybe now in the East are often fragmented by how rapidly society has developed technologically.

Self-improvement. Or Self Destruction? I guess with gaining muscle you have to break down fibres before new ones will grow, so you lose before you gain. Maybe the same can be said for mental faculties, I wonder what the best way of breaking down neurons, without ageing the body, perhaps meditation.

The Edge- I thought that Charles (Anthony Hopkins) was subtly cynical in that film(but in many films he is), often see in films many actors getting role or typecast. Part of Charles's experience  was that he never knew anyone to really have changed as a person. But he sees that in Alec Baldwin's character, after he wanted to kill Charles at the Cabin and talking to him later on the canoe.   

Was thinking of the other video Leo did recently on "Learning = Behaviour Change". Change for me would imply creativity, which occurs when a person is not consciously thinking(Rational going in a circle), but consciously aware, partly inspired by listening to J Kishnamurti on Youtube. Interesting the word learning is also related to the word lore. I also heard in a Jordan Peterson lecture, that one of the reasons researchers think people have consciousness, is that their "neurotic circuits are permanently on". 

 

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12 hours ago, Captain Flint said:

I formulate this idea in more radical form:

If you are taking advise from other people - you are likely to achieve no more than those people.

This is going into my daily reading book. Damn good quote.

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