Comments on: The Secret of Successful Self-Development http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/ a tongue-in-cheek quest for understanding... Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:57:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Jenny Morman http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1693 Jenny Morman Fri, 23 Nov 2007 23:25:49 +0000 http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1693 Thanks for your thoughts Sadia. :) Thanks for your thoughts Sadia. :)

]]> By: sadia http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1685 sadia Fri, 23 Nov 2007 10:32:24 +0000 http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1685 Self-growth is one step forward, one-step backward process that's very messy. Thank-you for such a powerful metaphor. Success is very much a personal thing, there are no cookie-cutter formula's that work for everyone all the time. Self-growth is one step forward, one-step backward process that’s very messy. Thank-you for such a powerful metaphor. Success is very much a personal thing, there are no cookie-cutter formula’s that work for everyone all the time.

]]> By: Erin Dietrich http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1182 Erin Dietrich Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:35:36 +0000 http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1182 Jon, beautifully written. Thanks for the comment! Jon, beautifully written. Thanks for the comment!

]]> By: Jon http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1169 Jon Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:41:09 +0000 http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1169 Jenny - Interesting post. I think that all too often we as a culture are looking for the easy fix. One that allows us to reach our goal with little to no effort. However, after reading your post I was reminded of the fact that it is not the completion but the journey that is where the reward lies. I think that if we can learn and adapt much like your plant we can find a great deal more joy in the process of personal development seeing ourselves not as a product to be finalized but a dynamic entity always striving for something more. Jenny -

Interesting post. I think that all too often we as a culture are looking for the easy fix. One that allows us to reach our goal with little to no effort. However, after reading your post I was reminded of the fact that it is not the completion but the journey that is where the reward lies. I think that if we can learn and adapt much like your plant we can find a great deal more joy in the process of personal development seeing ourselves not as a product to be finalized but a dynamic entity always striving for something more.

]]> By: Liara Covert http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1150 Liara Covert Fri, 12 Oct 2007 03:31:47 +0000 http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1150 Its worth noting to recognize which adjectives each of us use to describe anything from people to plants or even inanimate objects. To a degree, it is worth reflecting about our own relationships to these chosen words. Could we be making an indirect statement about ourselves and our feelings about things we aren't acknowledging or desire to focus on much more? Its worth noting to recognize which adjectives each of us use to describe anything from people to plants or even inanimate objects. To a degree, it is worth reflecting about our own relationships to these chosen words. Could we be making an indirect statement about ourselves and our feelings about things we aren’t acknowledging or desire to focus on much more?

]]> By: Erin Dietrich http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1145 Erin Dietrich Thu, 11 Oct 2007 12:58:53 +0000 http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1145 Liara, I like you're thinking. ...and, plants are incredibly resilient. The seem so fragile sometimes, leaves that can be torn, stems that can be broken and flowers picked. However, despite huge storms, sweltering weather and bitter winters, they keep on coming back - and in many cased multiplying. Plants have defense mechanisms and offense mechanisms. John, lovely quote. Well said. Claire, yes the messy part is tough sometimes. When doing something difficult, to create a mess on top of it, can feel somewhat defeating. Liara, I like you’re thinking. …and, plants are incredibly resilient. The seem so fragile sometimes, leaves that can be torn, stems that can be broken and flowers picked. However, despite huge storms, sweltering weather and bitter winters, they keep on coming back - and in many cased multiplying. Plants have defense mechanisms and offense mechanisms.

John, lovely quote. Well said.

Claire, yes the messy part is tough sometimes. When doing something difficult, to create a mess on top of it, can feel somewhat defeating.

]]> By: Liara Covert http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1144 Liara Covert Thu, 11 Oct 2007 08:24:38 +0000 http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1144 Plants are kindred spirits to us. They grow by reaching out towards sources of light and nutrients. Just like plants, human beings also grow on many different levels based on how they reach out to explore possible sources of wisdom. We determine which sources give us the most energy. Its only logical that we continue to exert ourselves in directions that uplift the spirit and the soul. Your plant analogy is a clever reminder of our interconnectedness with nature. Plants are kindred spirits to us. They grow by reaching out towards sources of light and nutrients. Just like plants, human beings also grow on many different levels based on how they reach out to explore possible sources of wisdom. We determine which sources give us the most energy. Its only logical that we continue to exert ourselves in directions that uplift the spirit and the soul. Your plant analogy is a clever reminder of our interconnectedness with nature.

]]> By: Claire http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1141 Claire Thu, 11 Oct 2007 03:28:02 +0000 http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1141 I'll second Mark's 'nice use of metaphor' comment! Have to remind myself that 'it's okay if things get a little messy'! Growth through considered action is so important - gotta snap out of that 'analysis paralysis' at some point, and get dirty! ;-) I’ll second Mark’s ‘nice use of metaphor’ comment!

Have to remind myself that ‘it’s okay if things get a little messy’! Growth through considered action is so important - gotta snap out of that ‘analysis paralysis’ at some point, and get dirty! ;-)

]]> By: Jason http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1140 Jason Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:24:42 +0000 http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1140 I'm glad you comment on my site, too, Mark... your comments are ALWAYS well thought out and written clearly. Erin, self-development is a path, a path that can generally be shared with others... but no one takes <i>exactly</i> the same steps down the same path. PS - Haha! I've gotten other people to post links to my site for me now... that's Jenny and Mark both! I must be doing something right. I’m glad you comment on my site, too, Mark… your comments are ALWAYS well thought out and written clearly.

Erin, self-development is a path, a path that can generally be shared with others… but no one takes exactly the same steps down the same path.

PS - Haha! I’ve gotten other people to post links to my site for me now… that’s Jenny and Mark both! I must be doing something right.

]]> By: Mark http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1139 Mark Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:05:56 +0000 http://jenny-and-erin.com/2007/10/the-secret-of-successful-self-development/#comment-1139 Great post Jenny, I love your use of metaphor :) I think you're all right about the difficulty or ease of personal development. The difficulty level is not binary (either hard or easy), it lies somewhere on a continuum; its position determined by a huge number of factors, most of which we're unaware of, but some of which may be powerful enough to overrule most or all other factors. Jason's <a href="http://www.amiracleaday.com/articles/2007/10/10/achieving-your-goals-negative-motivation-vs-positive-motivation">latest post on motivation</a> talks about that. Erin, I don't think what Jenny said about the step-by-step aspect of self development can be contested. She didn't say that it definitely wasn't a step-by-step process, but rather that the steps we're often given are more likely to produce results if they're treated as guidelines rather than concrete rules which must be followed precisely. I've got no argument with that :) I was just about to make the point John did (lucky I checked for further posts!) but I'd take it further and say that once you reach a point where you understand yourself well enough, once you know how you'll react in a variety of situations, you can use the experiences of other people as a more effective guide than purely trying things out yourself. Experience is King, but solid self-understanding and a wide range of knowledge make fantastic advisors. Great post Jenny, I love your use of metaphor :)

I think you’re all right about the difficulty or ease of personal development. The difficulty level is not binary (either hard or easy), it lies somewhere on a continuum; its position determined by a huge number of factors, most of which we’re unaware of, but some of which may be powerful enough to overrule most or all other factors.

Jason’s latest post on motivation talks about that.

Erin, I don’t think what Jenny said about the step-by-step aspect of self development can be contested. She didn’t say that it definitely wasn’t a step-by-step process, but rather that the steps we’re often given are more likely to produce results if they’re treated as guidelines rather than concrete rules which must be followed precisely. I’ve got no argument with that :)

I was just about to make the point John did (lucky I checked for further posts!) but I’d take it further and say that once you reach a point where you understand yourself well enough, once you know how you’ll react in a variety of situations, you can use the experiences of other people as a more effective guide than purely trying things out yourself. Experience is King, but solid self-understanding and a wide range of knowledge make fantastic advisors.

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