The Self-Development Thread

[muggiwhplar]

This isn't necessarily a help and advice thread, but more of a general personal development thread where people share and discuss their goals or things they wish they could do, or hobbies/habits they wish they had, as well as sharing advice and resources to help accomplish such things.

 

There's a lot of stuff I've learned on my own over the past few years that have made me feel really happy and fulfilled, and I'd like to share stuff like that w/ other people and see who else has similar experiences that they'd like to share.

 

Do you have any goals? Do you wish you were in better shape? Do you wish you had more money? Is there any skill you wish you had? What are your skills/hobbies? What are you good at? Are there any skills/talents you wish you had?

 

Share/discuss. :D

[Grainy]

I know this is a bit off-topic but curiosity has gotten the better of me..

 

I always try to read anything you post and I'd like to know a bit about you, personally - that is, what do you do for a living? Etc.

 

I've read bits and pieces but not much.

 

It might help kick-start this thread too :)

[Tim]

The usual.

 

Get fit, get into Uni etc etc.

 

There is a big goal in life but I get to embarrassed about it, especially since my parents demand the usual "go into military" attitude.

[Grainy]

They demand it? Are they from military backgrounds themselves?

[muggiwhplar]

I know this is a bit off-topic but curiosity has gotten the better of me..

 

I always try to read anything you post and I'd like to know a bit about you, personally - that is, what do you do for a living? Etc.

 

I've read bits and pieces but not much.

 

It might help kick-start this thread too :)

 

I'm currently looking for a job in outside sales, ideally within the fields of energy, technology, or healthcare because those are growth industries.

 

I graduated w/ a degree in psychology, but decided it'd be wiser to pursue a career in sales. Salespeople are always in demand and learning sales gives you much more control over your income than being, say, an accountant. If you work your way up through your company until you're earning $100,000/year, but lose your job, you're in trouble if you're unable to easily replicate that income within a decent amount of time. With sales, it's very skill-based so it'd be much easier to match your old income or become self-employed. Sales generalizes to many other areas of life as well (such as dating :D). You get out of it what you put into it and it's all learnable, regardless of how terrible you are at sales. So it seemed like the logical choice to me.

 

I've been reading books by Brian Tracy on sales and watching a lot of Youtube videos by other various sales gurus to prepare myself. If anybody here's in sales or marketing and would like to share their knowledge/experience, that'd be awesome. :D

[obfuscator]

I want to improve myself by growing a beard. Currently I'm at about 50/10,000 hairs, so I'm making slow but steady progress.

[Tim]

They demand it? Are they from military backgrounds themselves?

Dad is.

[Kalphite]

Well, there are a couple things I'm currently working on.

 

One of them is my general fitness. At the beginning of this schoolyear I started lifting by doing Starting Strength; I made really good progress within two months (went up to 120 bench, 195 squat, 215 deadlift), but then I ended up stopping when I couldn't find a good gym by my house for christmas break to continue at, and after this months i had unfortunately lost my drive. However, now I've started running instead. I'm not fat (5'4", 132 lbs), but I do have a slight stomach, and I feel like I really need to learn how to lose weight so that I don't end up like my parents (both very overweight with a huge host of health problems, including diabetes). My current goal is to work up to being able to run 5k. Between that and maintaining a 700-calorie/day deficit, I figure that I should be able to take off a decent amount by the end of this semester so that I can start lifting again come summer. In seventh grade I put on a lot of weight because of some medications my parents put me on; I haven't really felt good about my weight since then, and I really want to know what it feels like to not have to worry about if my shirts cling a little too tight or if plad patterns aren't flattering; plus, it'll make it easier to stay motivated when I do start lifting again because there will be less fat obscuring my muscle gains. Right now I'm up to running 2.2 miles; I'm trying to add .1 mile a run, running three times a week.

 

Additionally, I'm really trying to make more friends up here at college. I was able to put together a massive friend group in highschool, to the point where I can still easily get 30 people together at a time on weekends that I'm back home. However, up here it's a completely different story; I didn't try hard enough to get involved early on, so I didn't make many friends. I only have about 5 friends I hang out with and another 4 I talk to aside from that, and 4 of the 5 i hang out with are hooking up so I really need to find another social circle to avoid fifth wheeling. I've made one good friend since this semester started in one of my classes, however I like having options still and she generally isn't around on weekends. To achieve this goal, I've joined the Campus Orchestra, and I'm about to audition for a play here again (screwed up first semester, but this time it's for a less prominent theatre group and it isn't a musical so I don't have to worry about getting screwed over in the dance audition). If that falls through, I'm going to join a service group here called Circle K. I'm hoping between this I'll be able to get better at meeting people again.

 

Aside from those, I generally try to keep my grades high (3.75 gpa first semester and I'm going to try to get it higher), and just to have fun and help the people around me stay positive.

[Guest Rob]

I've recently decided that I want to get into the best university for me regardless of cost or travel...For me, that would be MIT. It's going to be a lot of work - especially because I'm from Canada - but I honestly think I can pull it off. So that's my current "goal" for now.

 

I feel like I've grown a lot as a person recently. I've been becoming more level-headed (I think) and I just feel stronger in general. It's hard to explain, but I'm pretty sure that this is good.

[Sy_Accursed]

My main goal in life since I was around 12 is to becoming a published author, preferably a bestseller but thats rather luck of the draw. I am currently approaching a year since I graduated with a degree in English and Creative Writing and unemployed thanks to crummy recession job market blah blah; but it's giving me plenty of time to work on my manuscript to hopefully have something to begin pursuing publication with around 2014. Been doing a chapter a week lately (after a long period of procrastination/planning) so looking set to have a nice edit through of the first 6 chapters in March and send them out to various readers for initial feedback.

 

Also working on general fitness, I been doing weights for a while and slimmed down a fair bit from that whilst gaining size but need to get cardio in to get proper 'toned' as they say - did have a nice running routine going but dark mornings and winter weather has kinda staled that a bit so hopefully be restarting that properly soon.

[Estonian dude]

I wish I had the drive and time to exercise more, but my shin splints are killing me after a week of trainings or any bball match. Need to get them examined by a doctor.

 

Current goal is to finish school with as good exam results as I possibly have the patience to learn. And to get into any university classes without competition. Starting this year, if you get a certain average on nationa exams, you are automatically in the course you apply to. And university education is free for everyone who gets in. Perks of living in Estonia ;)

 

I have given up of my goal of getting a girl before end of high school, concentrating fully on exams now.

[Ginger_Warrior]

Reflection on past and present experience is essential to self-development in just about every aspect of life. There are a few main models of reflection, but they all ultimately follow the same pattern. The simplest version is Borton's model of reflection:

• What? -- a description of the event
  
• So what? -- why the event is significant, and to whom is the event is significant to
  
• Now what? -- what you will do if the event happens again
  

The best lessons are learned the hard way. Reflection ensures you only need to do it the hard way once before learning the lesson. Some of the stupidest people I've ever met have fundamentally lacked any ability to look at their own efforts and identify where they've gone wrong, where other people have gone right.

[Grainy]

Makes sense Gingy, in order to move forward we have to analyse the past and decide.. what's next? That's the wonderful thing about hindsight.

[Omar]

I want to start lifting, but I don't really know where to start. I also don't really want to go to the university gym and not know what I should be doing.

I'm studying economics. I think it's a really interesting topic, and yet people are generally so clueless about it. I'd like to do my part to change that, because it's a fault people like to exploit in order to secure wealth for them and their friends. Frankly, I find the education I'm getting a little lacking in depth, but luckily there's a plethora of blogs and YouTube channels on the matter out there.

Other than that, I have goals in school. I'm trying hard to keep my scholarship. I need to get 9s on average this semester, so about 85% in every class. That hasn't started off particularly well—I did especially badly in microeconomics despite my efforts, possibly because I had three other midterms that week. But I'm taking two classes that I know I can get an A+ (10) in if I make the effort.

I've stopped drinking Coke at home. It hasn't made a huge difference in my health as far as I can tell, but it can't be a bad thing.

I play guitar and bass. I'd like to have some sort of prog rock project going on someday but I have a hard time writing entire songs.

I want to start reading more frequently, especially nonfiction but damn, books are stupid expensive. I don't really want to borrow them either.

[Kaida23]

I've stopped drinking Coke at home. It hasn't made a huge difference in my health as far as I can tell, but it can't be a bad thing.

Give it a bit of time. My ex-gf stopped drinking dark sodas altogether and after a couple weeks found that she had lost a bit of weight and was generally feeling better all around.

 

Mind you, she was drinking a fair bit of it at the time but the effects were still good.

[obfuscator]

Yeah when I cut out pop I definitely felt better very quickly. Would recommend.

[muggiwhplar]

I want to start lifting, but I don't really know where to start. I also don't really want to go to the university gym and not know what I should be doing.

 

Go with a friend who's an experienced lifter. But before you start lifting, you need to figure out why you're lifting. Do you just want to get stronger? Do you want to get huge? If I was starting out, I'd just stick with 5x5 sets of bench press, deadlifts, and squats. Do something like bench on Monday, deads on Wed, and squats on Fri. If you're just starting out, you'll see fast results after the first couple of weeks or so, regardless of how "inefficient" you're being.

 

I've stopped drinking Coke at home. It hasn't made a huge difference in my health as far as I can tell, but it can't be a bad thing.

I play guitar and bass. I'd like to have some sort of prog rock project going on someday but I have a hard time writing entire songs.

I want to start reading more frequently, especially nonfiction but damn, books are stupid expensive. I don't really want to borrow them either.

 

I quit drinking soda a while ago too, would also recommend. :thumbup:

 

For reading nonfiction books and money, think of it this way:

If you currently earn $15 per hour, and learning a new skill or technique will boost that income up to $20 per hour, then that’s an increase of $5 per hour. If you work about 2000 hours per year, then that’s an extra $10,000 per year. If this new skill will benefit you for the next three years, then that new skill will bring you $30,000 total. If it takes you 100 hours to learn this new skill, then you’re essentially earning $300 per hour spent learning.

[Giordano]

Damn, soda is my vice here yet so many people decourage me. I see how smokers feel. :razz:

 

 

I think it's a really interesting topic, and yet people are generally so clueless about it. I'd like to do my part to change that,

If you find out how, let me know. I'd love to explain the wonders of social studies, but I can't get "real" to them.

 

 

OH my goal. Er, I guess to do a better job at school? I am so disorganized, reasons why I get low marks is because I forget about assignments. Bought a calendar that fits into my portfolio.

[Omar]

For reading nonfiction books and money, think of it this way:

If you currently earn $15 per hour, and learning a new skill or technique will boost that income up to $20 per hour, then that’s an increase of $5 per hour. If you work about 2000 hours per year, then that’s an extra $10,000 per year. If this new skill will benefit you for the next three years, then that new skill will bring you $30,000 total. If it takes you 100 hours to learn this new skill, then you’re essentially earning $300 per hour spent learning.

Sort of. In order to buy a book though, I also have to forego or postpone what I would have spent the money on, e.g. go to a bar, because I won't have a steady job until summer.

 

I stopped drinking Coke at home a while ago, but I still have some on occasion if I eat out. I suspect that will stop when I can buy beer.

 

Giordano, what do you mean exactly? In my experience, assuming people are only making intellectual errors as opposed to being guilty of maliciousness or stupidity is a good start. The best way to convince people that your position is false is to be an asshat. I guess that's easier said than done, though.

[Giordano]

Giordano, what do you mean exactly? In my experience, assuming people are only making intellectual errors as opposed to being guilty of maliciousness or stupidity is a good start. The best way to convince people that your position is false is to be an asshat. I guess that's easier said than done, though.

I mean to make people aware of the value of history. Loads of folks I talk to are ignorant (not stupid, just not knowing) of it's significance but I have difficulty trying to explain it to them. Either I start on a long boring explanation (which even I would get bored of) or start using cliches (history repeats itself, etc). In the end the person doesn't understand what I'm trying to say and I've changed nothing.

 

It is not a matter of "they stupid, me smart"...I've learnt long ago that is not the case. But I'd like to tell people correct information about the world around them, instead of baseless assumptions they've read on Facebook or on the news. To teach them the skill to analyze the world around them is hard and its' not their fault for they haven't discovered the reasons why. I just can't find a good way to tell them without making it confusing or long and boring.

[decebal]

It is not a matter of "they stupid, me smart"...I've learnt long ago that is not the case. But I'd like to tell people correct information about the world around them, instead of baseless assumptions they've read on Facebook or on the news. To teach them the skill to analyze the world around them is hard and its' not their fault for they haven't discovered the reasons why. I just can't find a good way to tell them without making it confusing or long and boring.

I don't think it's possible to make a subject interesting to an individual if they feel like they have no reason to care for the subject.

[Hobgoblinpie]

I guess this comes under self-improvement.

 

I've spent the last year teaching myself French, and done pretty well (fluency in reading). I've started learning Spanish, and will likely move onto German or Italian afterwards (though I think I will only do reading and listening comprehension).

 

Working as a translator is well paid, and to me, interesting. I've done a few small bits freelance, but turning it into a job would be beneficial, because it's something I really enjoy (I realise that sitting in an office turning one language into another isn't particularly riveting, but I enjoy deconstructing and understanding the deeper nuances of language).

 

At a base rate, working as a translator for the EU/UN, you can make around £4,000 per year at junior level, moving up to around £13,000+ at senior level. Of course, the opportunity to get to this level requires years of practice.

 

In general, I would recommend learning a second language (or third, fourth, etc). You never know when it will come in handy.

[obfuscator]

I guess this comes under self-improvement.

 

I've spent the last year teaching myself French, and done pretty well (fluency in reading). I've started learning Spanish, and will likely move onto German or Italian afterwards (though I think I will only do reading and listening comprehension).

 

Working as a translator is well paid, and to me, interesting. I've done a few small bits freelance, but turning it into a job would be beneficial, because it's something I really enjoy (I realise that sitting in an office turning one language into another isn't particularly riveting, but I enjoy deconstructing and understanding the deeper nuances of language).

 

At a base rate, working as a translator for the EU/UN, you can make around £4,000 per year at junior level, moving up to around £13,000+ at senior level. Of course, the opportunity to get to this level requires years of practice.

 

In general, I would recommend learning a second language (or third, fourth, etc). You never know when it will come in handy.

 

I've been trying to brush up on my french...getting there slowly.

[Omar]

Switch the language of the devices and apps you use to French, if you can. Facebook, etc.

[Gradeskip]

I already know French, English and Spanish. Now learning a fourth language: C++.