Personal Growth Through Emulation…

[Shamou]

No need to reinvent the wheel… it’s been done… and so has most everything else under the sun…

So, if you want to accomplish something… you want to acquire additional tools to get where you want to go faster… you want to expand and to grow… emulation is the tool for you…

Emulating is as simple as can be… find someone who has done the things that you want to do… or has some ability that you would like to possess… read about that person… find out what special ingredient that person has… and imitate it… simple… and effective…

Emulation is one of the best tool that I ever used… case in point… I used to worry about rejection… then, Donald Trump’s highly effective quote came to my mind, “Nothing personal… it’s just business…”

From that moment on… whenever the specter of rejection comes to my mind… I mentally whip out my best rendition of Donald Trump's… “Nothing personal… it’s just business…”

Works every time…

.

[thestral]

Steve talks about this on one of his podcasts. I have a few people I use as examples and have taken a quantum leap in goal achievement.

[Akashic_Librarian]

The only real way to grow is to look inside yourself. Everything you need can be found there. Don't look to other people for the answers.

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Akashic_Librarian

The only real way to grow is to look inside yourself. Everything you need can be found there. Don't look to other people for the answers.

Would you mind expounding on that...???

.

[thestral]

Originally Posted by Akashic_Librarian

The only real way to grow is to look inside yourself. Everything you need can be found there. Don't look to other people for the answers.

What do you mean by that? I'm not looking to them for answers, I'm looking to them for examples on what they brought out in themselves to get where they are, so I can find the same things in me. Just looking inside myself to get to a Me I've never been would be like me driving from San Diego to New York City without a map - I'd get there eventually, but man would I waste time, gas and sanity in the process.

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by thestral

What do you mean by that? I'm not looking to them for answers, I'm looking to them for examples on what they brought out in themselves to get where they are, so I can find the same things in me.

Would it be indiscreet to ask who you have emulated...???

.

[thestral]

Originally Posted by Shamou

Would it be indiscreet to ask who you have emulated...???

Well, a little bit, because they are other people who are in my dream career, and as I am not choosing to reveal what that career is until it manifests I sort of cannot tell. I follow the "keeping dream a secret" mantra, so no one can send negative vibes to me about it.

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by thestral

Well, a little bit, because they are other people who are in my dream career, and as I am not choosing to reveal what that career is until it manifests I sort of cannot tell. I follow the "keeping dream a secret" mantra, so no one can send negative vibes to me about it.

Fair enough…and I wish you the very best in that dream career of yours…

Personally I do use the emulating technique quite often… I even have the pictures of those that I emulate close to my working station so that I can have a quick look at it for inspiration at the appropriate time… and it works for me…

The very best to you… and thanks for sharing…

.

[thestral]

Originally Posted by Shamou

Personally I do use the emulating technique quite often… I even have the pictures of those that I emulate close to my working station so that I can have a quick look at it for inspiration at the appropriate time… and it works for me…

I never thought about pictures, what a great idea! Ah, the wonders of google image search, time to find some Thanks much!

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by thestral

I never thought about pictures, what a great idea! Ah, the wonders of google image search, time to find some Thanks much!

You are most welcome...

And I love your signature... personally I call it, "egoistical philanthropy" ...that is, you cannot give what you do not already have... Take care of number one first... and everything else will naturally follow...

.

[Mark Lapierre]

Originally Posted by Akashic_Librarian

The only real way to grow is to look inside yourself. Everything you need can be found there. Don't look to other people for the answers.

How would someone who is filled with self-loathing, for example, look inside himself and find any positive answer that he'd agree with, and act on?

I truly believe there are some cases where people need the help of others. Some are too far down a self-destructive path to change direction on their own.

As for the rest of us, we also could use an alternative perspective now and then. If all the answers were truly inside us, we'd have no need, nor want, for each other.

The problem lies not in looking to others for answers, but in blindly accepting those answers as the truth.

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Mark Lapierre

As for the rest of us, we also could use an alternative perspective now and then.

The problem lies not in looking to others for answers, but in blindly accepting those answers as the truth.

Unconsciously we are almost always emulating… it starts a very early age… when we start emulating our parents, older siblings, peer groups, friends, teachers etc…

However, that is unconscious emulating and could almost be called “social proof” and, depending on circumstances, may or may not contribute to one’s personal growth…

On the other hand, conscious and voluntary emulating is one of the most powerful tool for growth that there is… the person being emulated then becomes a metaphor… with all the inherent capacities that a metaphor possesses…

The metaphor is a power tool of representation… we all know what powerful emotions metaphors such as the flag or the cross can ignite… well, so can the person being emulated… in a flash… we can acquire the self-confidence of a Donald Trump… the dedication of Einstein… or become a budding da Vinci…

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[Akashic_Librarian]

Ghandi said something along the lines of:

"I do not eat meat because I believe it is a Sin, if another person who has grown up with eating meat, and sees nothing wrong with eating it, decides to not eat it simply to copy me, well thats a sin too"

I hope thats vague enough to make you all THINK more about what I mean. Instead of just not realising off the bat and then asking me what it means Think people, its the only way to live.

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Akashic_Librarian

Ghandi said something along the lines of:

"I do not eat meat because I believe it is a Sin, if another person who has grown up with eating meat, and sees nothing wrong with eating it, decides to not eat it simply to copy me, well thats a sin too"

I hope thats vague enough to make you all THINK more about what I mean. Instead of just not realising off the bat and then asking me what it means Think people, its the only way to live.

Thinking is all well and good... but making sense is even better...

.

[Mark Lapierre]

Originally Posted by Shamou

However, that is unconscious emulating and could almost be called “social proof” and, depending on circumstances, may or may not contribute to one’s personal growth…

True, hence all the rebellious subcultures which rapidly become commonplace, and conformist. And, where personal growth is concerned, are often a case of taking 7 steps back before delivering a kick up the butt to move forward again.

Originally Posted by Shamou

The metaphor is a power tool of representation… we all know what powerful emotions metaphors such as the flag or the cross can ignite… well, so can the person being emulated… in a flash… we can acquire the self-confidence of a Donald Trump… the dedication of Einstein… or become a budding da Vinci…

Ahhh, I wish that were the case for me. Many people have told of experiencing epiphanies, where, as you said, in a flash everything changes. It's never happened to me. If I were to attain the dedication of Einstein, it would be through sheer perseverance. Nothing flashy about it. But still, I agree with you about the power of metaphors, if not the way they affect us.

Originally Posted by Akashic_Librarian

Ghandi said something along the lines of:

"I do not eat meat because I believe it is a Sin, if another person who has grown up with eating meat, and sees nothing wrong with eating it, decides to not eat it simply to copy me, well thats a sin too"

I hope thats vague enough to make you all THINK more about what I mean. Instead of just not realising off the bat and then asking me what it means Think people, its the only way to live.

See, this actually gives us something to think about. However before, when you spoke in absolutes, you gave us nothing but the literal meaning of your words. If your meaning was anything other than those absolutes then your words did not match your meaning and we're left not thinking about, but guessing what your meaning could possibly be. That's no way to communicate effectively, nor to encourage thoughts that lead anywhere but to questions.

But I do partially agree with your meaning, if not the words. There is little or nothing to be gained from emulating someone just because they're apparently someone special. I don't believe that's what Shamou is advocating. It's what and how that's important, not who.

I see nothing wrong with deciding on what you want to do, then looking to others to see how they do it, so that you might see how you can do it better. There's a lot to be said for experimentation, and perseverance, but why look inside for answers to questions which someone else has answered better than we could?

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Mark Lapierre
Ahhh, I wish that were the case for me. Many people have told of experiencing epiphanies, where, as you said, in a flash everything changes. It's never happened to me. If I were to attain the dedication of Einstein, it would be through sheer perseverance. Nothing flashy about it. But still, I agree with you about the power of metaphors, if not the way they affect us.

Hello Mark…

By using emulating through the metaphor principle I was not thinking about a life lasting epiphany… let me just give you a brief example…

Suppose that I decide to buy a new car… before I walk into the dealership… I’ll flash a mental picture of Donald Trump (after all, he personifies the art of the deal) and, I let a bit of his persona invade me…

When dealing for that car… I will not be doing the dealing… Trump will be doing it…

Same thing when I am working on something that demands the spirit of excellence… (for me… it is personified by the Ferrari company)… so, what I do, is put my red Ferrari cap on… I become one of Ferrari’s top executive… and let nature take its course…

Works for me… maybe it’s because I’m a little wacky…

.

[Mark Lapierre]

Hi Shamou

Ahh, I see the distinction. And yet for me, the same hurdle remains. I find it difficult to adopt a different persona, especially if it's one very different to the more prominent elements of my personality. Personality change hasn't happened rapidly for me, and for a long time I've been encouraged to "be myself", which was touted as meaning don't pretend to be someone else, even if it's as helpful as projecting confidence when you don't feel it. Which I now think is silly, projected confidence gradually becomes real confidence, I know this now from personal experience.

And so I still identify too closely with my core persona, and found it difficult to be anything else. The ego is strong in this one

But that's changing, slowly

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Mark Lapierre
I still identify too closely with my core persona, and found it difficult to be anything else. The ego is strong in this one

How was that “core persona” formed in the first place… ??? Did you come into this world like a PC with and specific OS (operating system) such as Microsoft’s Vista…???

No… you, I, and the guy next door’s persona was mostly formed by suggestions that we received from parents, siblings, peers, teachers etc… they told us you are good at math… but lousy in languages… you are good at this and lousy and that… and we bought that crap…

We were born with a clean slate and endless possibilities… who, and what we are is mostly the results of beliefs… and we can change those beliefs…

If you doubt that anything that I am saying here is not true… you should read, “Psychocybernetic” by Dr Maxwell Maltz…

He tells us, “The "self-image" is the key to human personality and human behavior. Change the self image and you change the personality and the behavior.” And that, my friend, you can take to the bank…

I’ve been living and teaching it for over twenty years… and it works…

.

[shesaboutspirit]

For a bit of a female perspective... hmm...I just realized that I'm assuming this has been a masculine discussion. Guess I don't really know. Anyway, many years ago, I remember seeing Rene Russo in Lethal Weapon Three. At some point in the movie we get to see her take down a few bad guys to defend herself and Mel Gibson. He stands back and marvels at her... What I saw, was this strong, empowered woman...wearing these cool Cowboy boots. They became a symbol to me of this empowered woman. Then I kind of forgot about it.

Many years later, I found myself unconsciously buying boots like that. Every time I wore them, I felt like I could handle so much more than I could otherwise. Maybe the movie just made some imprint on my very visually oriented mind, I don't know. I do tend to learn really fast when I see something, as opposed to reading about it. From wearing those boots, I got a chance to wear that feeling... And it was something very unfamiliar to this shy and timid girl. After that, I would occasionally use them when I needed a bit of help feeling that feeling...and eventually, I could do it without them. It was a helpful learning tool...and of course I still had to grow and do my own work.

I was just thinking about the Donald Trump example... I've heard that he believes his power is related to his hair. Michael Landon had the same belief. I'll bet they picked that up somewhere along their paths as well... and maybe even modeled after someone they admired once. I guess if they were about growth, maybe they would need to challenge that at some point. If I had to live in my old boots, that would likely be a problem. But such is the journey...to each his own and all of that.

blessings,

Pam

[Shamou]

Very good post Pam... and thank you for sharing that...

You have your boots... and I have my Ferrari hat...

.

[thestral]

Originally Posted by shesaboutspirit

For a bit of a female perspective... hmm...I just realized that I'm assuming this has been a masculine discussion

*jumps up and down and waves madly* I'm a girl, honest! Well, a tomboy, but stilll biologically female

Although, I will blushingly admit most of my role models are guys, because many of the females in my choice of profession are not women to admire at all.