January 31st, 2010 by rob white
I can remember years ago attending many seminars and reading many inspirational self-help books on how to improve my life, but it was all passive listening and reading. When I would be with my friends, I’d talk about what I’d heard or read (probably just to look good), but it was all vain repetition. I hadn’t put the knowledge into my life, and hence; it never amounted to anything – my life was the same old way it was before.
It doesn’t work to just obtain knowledge or join a self-help website without asking “how does this apply to me, and how can I put this into my daily life to help support me with my aspirations?” Have you read one or two (or three or four) great inspirational, self-help books, thinking it was going to change your life, and nothing changed?
The consciousness it takes to act upon the information you have heard or read is where the discipline begins. It is as important that the knowledge find an avenue to ‘outflow’ from you as it was to create an ‘inflow’ so that you may demonstrate it in your daily affairs.
There are two ladders to successful achievement – the thinking ladder and the doing ladder. If you are not climbing both of them simultaneously, you are doomed to fall back where you were. I neglected the Doing Ladder for years. Are you aware of both ladders with your growth-choice endeavors? How are you doing with those two ladders?
Hey Rob, this is a good point, and I think there is a certain amount of information overload that bogs us down, particularly in the Internet age. It kind of reminds me of the concept of the “armchair quarterback.” If everyone is such an expert, simply spouting off the vast library of information stored in their heads, then why aren’t they as successful as they sound?
Yes, this is a big one for me, too, ZombieBoy …… I have a colleague at work who reads every self-help book that comes along. He has all the answers, yet he hasn’t been promoted in two years (in an environment where there have been many promotions). There are times when I can tend to be a not-it-all after reading some great book, but not doing anything with the knowledge by putting it into my life so it doesn’t work for me.
I can see where it takes conscious action to use new information. I took a seminar on how to pick up chicks, but went back to my old ways at my local watering hole – $200 out of pocket and nothing changed. Clearly it was me that hadn’t changed my ways.
Ya, like they say: “If You’re So Smart, Why Ain’t You Rich?”
ArtistNick
It seems I lost the ‘doing ladder’ a few years back. I have been reading ‘how to’ books but not doing anything with the knowledge. I’ve got to find that ‘doing ladder’.
Wow rob, I really can see where I have been lazy with taking action to match my new winning philosophy. Little wonder my life has not changed that much.
Being conscious of the steps I need to win at the business of selling real estate is very important these days. If I unconsciously do what I did yesterday, clearly I won’t get results.
I too was a self-help junkie reading diligently to “fix” what was wrong and continually working to change myself so I could be happy and people would like me. I changed so much I lost who I am. Funny, I haven’t read a new “self-help” book (180 excepted) in about 2 years.(interesting timing Rob) Now I am realizing that the real work is finding who I am and the courage to be that person. Now I am working to remove all those mis takes and confusions that keep me from the peace and privilege I was born to enjoy. I did take the advice (day 6) of making a “bible” where I keep the quotes, passages, thoughts that help re mind me of who I am here to be. I have it in a little book and take it with me everywhere. My thought for today…Suffering is optional.
Self-help books were my bread and butter for two years, Dawn, until I realized I was now just spending time ‘hoping’ the books would jump into my life and fix things. I was introduced to rob’s two ladders six months ago. I have found the ‘doing ladder’ and have begun climbing it by daily doing things I don’t like doing (like making cold calls to introduce more people to the company I work with). I learned that successful people do the things that no one wants to do – that’s why they eventually become successful.
I like the idea of ‘growth choice’. I can see where a lot of my chices of action have been anti-growth. I’ve done a few dumb things in my day that have cost me – like drinking and driving and telling my boss off in public. I’m learning.
I have many ‘how to get rich’ books, and I am still just getting by financially. I used to blame the economy, but perhaps it is time to hold myself responsible for not putting the plans into action. It’s easy to blame the world. Great wake up call.
I have started a weekly inspiration-meeting with friends The finishing statement at the end of an evening event is: “How does this apply to me?” We go around the room sharing how it applies.
I know when I am passively listening, I get bored and begin yawning. Unfortunately, I do this when the conversation could help me with some problem I have. Just knowing how I resist is a jolt to breaking that habit.
Our bodies often signal us when we are resisting information that may help us breakthrough old habits, Lois. Your power lies in awareness, which you are now recognizing. Congratulations
There is a lot of vain repetition out there, and there is a lot of repetition that gets into our heads – about matters that cause us grief. I wish that stuff was vain repetition, but for some reason it grabs our attention. Like wars and recessions. How do we stop it from doing that?
No one, Jim, but you can decide what thoughts take up residency in your mind. You are in command, when it comes to what let in and what you allow to just pass through your field of consciousnesn; that is if you make it your conviction to take control of your life. Follow closely: You determine your model of reality. You need not allow the world to do that for you.
good one rob
I like learning what’s not working for me so I can correct it. Thanks, rob
I fall off the doing ladder often. The trick is to get up, wipe yourself off and climb back on that ladder. Easier said than done.
It does take work to remain conscious of your reactions to old friends. Otherwise it all becomes very mechanical with no originality. That is what makes the relationship boring. I like this wake up call, rob.
The outflow of information is where physical effort comes in. I can learn soemthing, and jam it in my mind withut using it. That does me no good. I learned to knit when I was a child and I have many sweaters to prove it. I learned to sell real estate as an adult and have many sales to my credit to prove it. Those are two examples of ‘inflow knowledge’ put to use so it outflowed through me into life.
My neighbor started a business that is quickly successful. When I asked him what the secret was, he said that he was willing to do almost anything to see to it that the business boomed. I asked myself, ‘how does this apply to me?’ and found that I was lazy – not willing to do anything to see that I succeeded. It is time for an attitude change in me.
‘How does this blog apply to me?’ – that’s the first question I am asking (as you suggested in the blog). It applies in so many ways. I can really get lazy about taking action. It is obvious when I am slacking off – my life falls backward. I didn’t prepare my monthly report in Jan. and my boss is still telling me about it!
When I read Unlimited Power I thought it would change everything, and it seemed to work for a week or two – then back to the usual. I need this kick in the pants to remind me that it is me, not the books, that let me down.
Books only let me down when they promise they have the secret formula that will fix things. The promise is foolish and I shouldn’t think it can do for me what I fail to do for myself.
That is a wise understanding, Bobbie. No book and no person can do for you what you can do for yourself – which is climb over to your unlimted side and live life to its fullest.
I have a friend who is a big know-it-all. Anytime he reads a book on self-help he thinks he has the greatest, hottest new technique to make millions. Yet, he is still working at the same job and not making any more money at it.
How often I’ve gotten stuck in wanting to look good and wasted my time doing things that really didn’t matter to me. No more of that for me.
I am now reading one self-help book every 60 days, and taking the 90 day 180 program at the same time. It really helps me put the self-book knowledge into my daily practice.
It does take consciousness to get into action and succeed. Success does not happen without our help. I have experienced that many times in my lifetime.
Thre is far too much vain repetition in my life. I am always promising that I will do something and tehn I cop out. I have to wake up to how I sabotage my relationships with this.
Sometimes my consciousness feels like it has limits. I love learning that I can expand my consciousness to include more. I didn’t know I could learn to play the piano at age 50; I am not 52 and getting very good at it.
There is nothing like conscious action (rather than mechanical reaction) to make me feel like I am in charge of my day. That one tip can change your life.
I have learned to become an active listener (rather than passive listener) when people offer me tips on how to improve my life. I am an active listener when I do more than just say “thank you”; I use the tips. Yes, this works.
Isn’t it an empowering feeling to ‘actively listen’ Mandy. Not only do you do a great favor to the speaker, you do yourself a great favor. It’s win/win.
The consciousnes to act in a direct manner – that is where I fall back. I react before I am aware of what I am doing. Doesn’t work!
I am a member of several self-help websites and a few help while others are a lot of frivilous conversation. THIS SITE HELPS! Thanks,
Making my life about looking good can be obsessive. It amounts to a lot of hurt feelings and defensive behavior when I do not succeed at it. It is wasted time.
Yes, Courtney, the idea of looking good has possessed me for years. I agree. What a waste of precious energy. Now I am using that energy to become the successful father I have always wanted to be.
I love to read self-help books even if they do not seem to make any difference in my life, which seems to be the case. I am doing fine, but I am not soaring.
Learning to act on new knowledge so it ‘outflows’ takes discipline. I used to be lazy and want it to ‘outflow’ without my assistance. That’s not going to happen. I am now more conscious of this.
Demonstrating new changes in my daily affairs takes discipline. That’s where I tend to get lazy and fall back. Your blogs are great alarm clocks that wake me up.
I took in new knowledge (a sales course) and I acted on it, practicing the sales technique the course offered. My sales have increased 20% Not bad!
I have the doing ladder down. I am not doing the extra work it takes to get the promotion I am seeking. I can see how I am my own worst enemy at times.
Noticing when we are our own worst enemy enables us to activate fresh ideas for new action in our lives, Maureen.
the inspirational book ‘tipping point’ helped me see that things can happen quickly but only after you have put in the necessary work.
Climbing those two ladders (doing and thinking)at the same times; that’s the challenge. It takes will power not to talk too much or not to compulsively react when things are getting tough. It feels great to do it.
Demonstrating my goals in my daily life means I have to carry the doing ladder around with me. It gets heavy. Sometimes I want to fall back to my old habits – gotta watch that.
I am zooming up the ‘doing ladder’ these days. I have received my nursing degreethree months ago and got a great job in a great hospital up the street from where I live. I no longer intend to ignore that there is a ‘doing ladder’ that needs climbing if I plan to be successful in life.