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| Personal Effectiveness Goals, productivity, time management, motivation, self-discipline, overcoming procrastination, habits, organizing, problem-solving, decision-making, intelligence |
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05-06-2007, 06:05 AM
| #1 (permalink) |
| Banned Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Quebec, Canada
Posts: 3,811
 |  Are you in a Growth… Survival… or Floating Mode…???
Are you in a Growth… Survival… or Floating Mode…??? Let me define, for the purpose of this thread, what each of these modes implies… 1. Growth… you are designing and creating your life… you have goals and objectives that are supported by a set of plans and strategies of action… you are determined… and you are holding the world by the tail… (If you are in this category… please share your secrets of success with us…) 2. Survival… life is a struggle… the future is uncertain… you hope that nothing will go wrong and that your finances will hold… you are tense and stressed… the best that you can do is to keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best… (If you are in this category… stay with this forum… you will learn things that will help you… and if you have any question… do not hesitate to ask…) 3. Floating… things are pretty good… you don’t have much ambition… or you are still searching for your place in life… your main preoccupation is to do as little as possible… and have as much fun as possible… (If you are in this category… get a life…  )We want to hear from you… so please share… . |
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05-06-2007, 07:47 AM
| #4 (permalink) | |
| Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 322
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So I've written another huge post. I summarize it here: 1.) I'm in all 3 categories at once, and it should be that way 2.) I explain how to be creative, and explain that that's the thing that everyone is missing about Personal Development, and is in fact the key to personal development, and well the purpose life which is to be creative and create 3.) being creative ties together planning, action, and learning into the same time, and solves the paradox and mystery of "LEARNING BUT NOT DOING". I.E. if you are not in the process of being creative, creating something new, then you are always LEARNING BUT NOT DOING 4.) So basically, other than having sex, eating food, and sleeping, being creative is the key to life and happiness. That's why Steve's himself is such a creative guy... look at all he's created. Quote:
From 1: I am "designing and creating your life". I do this every day. I spend at least an hour doing this. What will keep you from doing this is if you are a slave to someone else... i.e. are going to school or have a job, or being a slave to the commercial corporations of the world by becoming a mindless zombie swallowing TV commercials to go out and buy more of their ************. What's the difference between planning and action? actually barely anything. we should actually define discretely what the difference between taking action and planning is. "objectives that are supported by a set of plans and strategies of action…" Here is my plan to make a billion dollars: Spend 4 hours a day being creative (coming up with my own knowlege, using other people's knowlege as a base) and thinking about how to do this. And spending an hour planning the next day. And then 2 hours for doing the stuff that society/nature has mandated me to do in my current situation (i.e. school work, job, taxes, getting food) And then spend the rest of that time having fun. And then each day those numbers are going to be slightly different based on what I feel like for the day. There's my plan for the next 100 years. I'll write a nice article on how to be creative, or even better, be creative and figure that out yourself!!! Here's how to learn how to be creative: (I'm being creative by typing out how to be creative... so here a good example...) open up note pad and type "how can I be creative"... then be creative and write down whatever comes to mind, don't put in any effort into what comes out, its all going to be crap at first, but just keep going, your brain has a built in algorithm by DNA of making that stuff that comes out more clear if you go back and read why you've written and then ask more questions from those, I.E. you become "inspired" by what your self has just written down.... if you have more questions to yourself about how to be creative then ask even more questions. FOR EXAMPLE: what is the definition of being creative? why in the hell does it matter that I am creative? how is it that i can explain even better to people about how to be creative? how would i be able to express the fact that being creative is the missing thing that anyone who does not yet get personal development yet and that creativity runs the world and that is what will drive the ultimate convergence of conciousness, and that conciousness is just a fight against the second law of thermodynamics, and that the very name of being creative means to create something that is not there yet, and that is what society values and pays the most for, and that new things are what people want, and that someone has to come up with the new thing, and that if you don't create the new thing yourself then the person who does create the new thing is the one who is going to get the money, so that you'd better learn how to be creative by being creative and figuring that out yourself or you'll be left out, and that creativity is not hard to do, you just do it by asking yourself questions and then those questions lead to more questions and ect.ect....??? And then if you get stuck with a question that you've asked yourself, like :"What is the nature of conciousness and how does the brain do it???" Then just write: I don't know. How come I don't know? Because i don't even know what conciousness is. How come I dont know what consciousness is?? -I guess i could look up the answer in the dictionary. -because no one else knows - how come noone else know? because no one has cared to think about it yet... -because god does not what us to know. Then just randomly pick out one of your answers and and say "-because god does not what us to know." How come god does not want us to know? because its... balbalbalblabalbalbalbla.... And that the process of writing questions and answers is that you are doing multiple things simultaneously: 1: you are taking action... you are coming up with the answers 2: you are making rough plans, because you are asking yourself how to be able to answer your own questions 3: you are having fun... you are exploring the things that you want to explore, because you are the one who is asking the questions, not some stupid homework, or your boss, and your brain creates pleasure for figuring stuff out (like light bulb, chess, video games) 4: you are being your own boss because you are directing yourself 5: you are becoming a leader in that area that you chosen to figure out, because you now have knowlege that no one else has, unless you care to share it with other people. 6: you are removing fear of whatever you are figuring out, because fear is a just the fear of the unknown, and that by asking questions you are forcing yourself to face those fears 7: you have created motivation in yourself to answer your own questions, i.e., to follow the rough plans that you have, because now you have a created a rough plan, and you know the reasons that you are working (therefore motivation), because you are trying to answer your own questions. And then once you have overwhelmed yourself, then go back and just read it, then start all over asking and answering those questions... the questions open up your subconcious mind to figuring out the answers. PROOF that this works?? I had no clue that I knew any of this before I wrote it, just going back and reading my own writing made me think of all these things. From 2: The "future is uncertain…" and nothing will ever stop that. But there is a degree of uncertainty. You could spend 12 hours planning out the next day down to the second... and so that day would be very certain, but then that first day would be wasted... and comes down to my discussion of analysis paralysis. (Giving yourself a deadline motivates you with fear of what would happen if you did not get done with that task on time... so the fight or flight reaction kicks in so that you are either flying stressed out to get your plan done, or that you see your big plan for that day and getting paralyzed and not wanting to do it... And as I thought about before, motivation by fear is an evil thing... have to think about that one some more...., so basically its kinda a bad thing to think that you have to have something done by some arbitrary deadline, and I guess that makes Steve method or working on something until its done even more effective (as explained in Do it Now)) OR the first day is not actually wasted by spending 12 hours planning? Why??? Because with planning you first have to figure out what you are trying to plan. You have to go out and read books, or even better you have to think about things yourself and create your own knowlege. So in fact, even though siting down and planning may seem like inaction, it is in fact action.... though as I explained here , everything you do is inaction unless you can convince yourself how your planning is help. From 3: "things are pretty good… ". If you are being creative then you are happy, and having fun. And you must take time to be social with people (i.e. having fun) because DNA has built into us that we need to be social. And also, being creative wears down your brain circuits so you have to rest, and there's no better way to recharge then having fun. SO if you are doing things right, then you are in all three categories... though you never need to be "tense and stressed". If you are being creative and focusing your drive on one thing, then you are not going to be stressed. Last edited by Sunnybayes; 05-06-2007 at 08:32 AM. | |
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05-06-2007, 08:56 PM
| #6 (permalink) |
| Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 117
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I alternate between floating and growing. Right now I've been floating for months at uni, just while I get a handle of where I am and what I'm doing, and now I'm back into growing. I can normally tell where I am based on whether or not I'm regularly posting at this forum  |
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05-06-2007, 11:34 PM
| #8 (permalink) |
| Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Vancouver
Posts: 176
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I'm in a growth and floating mode. Growth - mentally I feel great. The personal development is going well at the moment: I wake early, I have created a PD blog, I am reading a lot, I have incorporated some positive habits into my life and got rid of some negative ones, etc Floating - we are preparing to move Canada this year but my permanent residence spousal visa will take a few months to process. I am finding it very hard to stay motivated at work since I know I won't be there for much longer. I am finding in regards to exercise I am doing just enough to stay healthy but not really pushing myself. |
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05-07-2007, 12:37 AM
| #9 (permalink) | |
| Banned Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Quebec, Canada
Posts: 3,811
| Quote:
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05-07-2007, 12:40 AM
| #10 (permalink) | |
| Banned Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Quebec, Canada
Posts: 3,811
| Quote:
Congratulation for your successes... and may I be the first one to Welcome you to Canada... the land of snow and high taxes...  . | |
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05-07-2007, 03:11 AM
| #11 (permalink) |
| Member Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 68
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I had been in "Survival mode" for the most of the past 6 months. I was uncertain about every aspect in my life, doubted my choices and abilities. Not a pretty time. About two week ago I hit "Floating mode". It was actually a great relief for me to see that I was even able to be in this category, that I could get by with just a couple exams in the university and live off a few hours of work every week. Now I am (pro)actively making my way towards the "Growth mode", making goals, working hard and feeling success. On my way to getting a life. It's a perfect circle. |
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05-07-2007, 04:12 AM
| #12 (permalink) | |
| Banned Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Quebec, Canada
Posts: 3,811
| Quote:
Congratulation and the very best of luck to you... . | |
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08-18-2007, 07:29 PM
| #13 (permalink) |
| Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: USA
Posts: 335
| Intentionally floating
My first post here- I've been in Floating mode for the past several months- I graduated from college last year and got my first job, moved to an apartment, and have been basically floating along, at least in terms of external accomplishments (and while some would say its an adjustment to go from college to self-sufficient, I had an awfully easy transition- to a good paying computer/consulting job when I studied CS, to an apartment still near my family and in the area I've lived my whole life, and I've been independent and able to take care of myself for quite awhile now). I feel like its a conscious floating mode though, with a big focus on figuring out who I am and what I want in life- I've always been a worrier/dreamer focused on making a huge difference in the world, so I made a commitment to myself to live in the moment, have new experiences, become more social and fun-loving, and figure out what I want. I consciously decided to postpone my high expectations for a year and not stress too much about work or performance evaluations, not commit to too many new things, and not put myself under pressure to do more than comfortably exist (which is a pretty easy task). I feel like so far its been a really really good thing for me- I do feel like I've grown internally and am able to relate to people better and have a clearer view of what I want in life. As much fun as I've been having, I don't think I'm floating in the negative sense- I'm exploring new things and for the first time in my life really enjoying spending time with people socially. I definitely plan to take some time this winter evaluating where I'm at and making some new goals/choices and move into a more active Growing mode. Also, since I don't have any debt and tend toward living a simple life, I've been saving a large percentage of my income, so it will be there if I need it when I do reevaluate and maybe decide to make some changes. |
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08-18-2007, 07:47 PM
| #14 (permalink) |
| Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Europe
Posts: 40
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I'm continously growing... future looks and sounds very promising, as well as the journey right now. However, there's still plenty of time, and as we achieve, the ceiling moves up, you know.  According to the definitions, I won't really float ever. Why? Because I am not planning to have my main preoccupation doing as little as possible, ever. |
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08-18-2007, 07:52 PM
| #15 (permalink) |
| Banned Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Quebec, Canada
Posts: 3,811
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Hello and welcome aboard jaamkie... Very glad that you decided to join and hope that you like it here... On reading this post... it seems that you have given life's planning a lot of thinking and consideration... you are to be congratulated for that... It is sometimes good to gravitate laterally until we see an opening where we can start moving and growing again... and that opening always shows up... we only have to keep an eye out for it and seize the opportunity when it finally does show up... The very best of luck to you... and keep us posted on your progress... . |
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08-19-2007, 03:35 AM
| #16 (permalink) | |
| Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: USA
Posts: 335
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08-19-2007, 03:51 AM
| #17 (permalink) |
| Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: United States
Posts: 102
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I spend the morning and a bit of the afternoon in growth mode and the rest of the day in float mode. I get up at 6:30 everyday and exercise for 30 minutes to keep fit then go to the computer and work on programming my game engine for many hours until I get tired of it, then surf the web, learn about new PD and productivity concepts and just do whattever for the rest of the day, and repeat. It's a quite effective strategy, I'm not getting fat like my siblings and am actually doing something constructive with my life, plus there's no shortage of free time also. The last thing I need is school to start again, I have no interest in investing time in learning about things I'm only going to forget next year.  |
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08-19-2007, 04:38 AM
| #18 (permalink) | |
| Banned Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Quebec, Canada
Posts: 3,811
| Quote:
A good education is the best possible foundation to build a life on... don't let it go to waste... The very best of luck to you... . | |
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08-19-2007, 04:56 AM
| #19 (permalink) |
| Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 10
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i have been floating in a univercity for 3 years .i wasted so much time and i feel sorry to that for a long time.but now i get through those dark days. a few day ago,i encounterd this wonderful web site. and now ,i feel that i am daily growing. |
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08-19-2007, 11:17 AM
| #21 (permalink) | |
| Banned Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 9,613
 | Quote:
My secret of success is plain, old-fashioned journalling. I write regularly about my life, and also my goals, and my plans, and strategies etc. I also regularly review my old entries. The main problem with many human beings is a lack of focus. They think they know what they want. And maybe they do. For a little while, anyway. And then they forget. And that is why they keep forgetting to do the things they should, in order to create the kind of life they want. Worse, they end up doing things which prevent them from creating the kind of life they want. Journalling is helpful because if you do it regularly, it helps you to clarify to yourself what you want to be, do or have; and why you want that, and how you will cause that to happen. I should add that journalling is quite fun & exciting, because in the process of journalling, you will record and see, over time, how your big goals transform, step by step, into reality. Last edited by Acting Like Godot; 08-19-2007 at 11:24 AM. | |
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08-19-2007, 01:10 PM
| #22 (permalink) | |
| Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Singapore
Posts: 433
| I disagree
I have to disagree with those of you who say you're in all three or even two stages at the same time. It's not possible to be in growth, survival or floating frame at the same time. The person who is fully engaged in growth moves towards more life, more expansion, discovery. He is, like the Einstein quote, someone who's decided that 'the universes is a friendly place'. He's motivated by, well, Steve would call it love. The person who is engaged in survival mode doesn't see the opportunities for growth. He's only doing all he can to keep all he has right now, nothing more, nothing less. He's decided that 'the universe is (not) a friendly place'. He's motivated by fear. How can you be moving forward and backward at the same thing? You can't. You'd be constricted. Like when two people pull you in opposite directions, you just don't move anywhere. Be in growth or survival. Decide whether you're going to expand or contract. Like Einstein once said; Quote:
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08-19-2007, 03:13 PM
| #23 (permalink) | |||
| Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Twin Peaks
Posts: 206
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08-19-2007, 05:02 PM
| #24 (permalink) | |
| Banned Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Quebec, Canada
Posts: 3,811
| Quote:
If you are in an "empowering state" a small victory might make you feel like a million... and a setback like another growth opportunity... But if you are in a "debilitating or paralyzing state" a small set back can look like a major catastrophe... . | |
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08-19-2007, 10:50 PM
| #25 (permalink) |
| Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: UK
Posts: 118
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Over the years I have met many people who never set goals, who have little structure or planning in their life. They just take each day as it comes. Now they may fit into your "floating" categorie, but I think this misses an important point. They may not have decided to "float", or to have "as much fun as possible" - indeed they may have ambition. But - they don't know any better than to live life as they always have, day to day, without goals or plans! As personal development activities like goal setting aren't taught in schools, some folk never learn that you can grow. |
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08-20-2007, 04:10 AM
| #27 (permalink) |
| Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Denver
Posts: 72
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Hmmmmm. I suppose I would say that I'm in growth mode because I am right now on this journey of change. However, occasionally I would say that my life reverts to survival mode (sometimes for a day, sometimes for longer). For example, for the first time in years, I found myself with a negative account balance. Chalk it up to my son's birthday, car insurance, three trips to the dentist and some other random things that happened this month (and lest we not forget my apparent lack of attention on my account ). When I realized that I was in the hole (by a fair amount) and still two weeks from a paycheck (I only get paid once a month) I panicked. I went right into survival mode. Super stressed out, just trying to figure out what the #@$* I was going to do! So, my feeling about all this is that you may not be able to be in two modes simultaneously, but (for me at least) it is possible to be wobbling between two. |
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08-20-2007, 05:24 PM
| #28 (permalink) |
| Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Singapore
Posts: 433
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The simplest way I would explain the way I think about it is just: 1) Are you acting in a way to expand and grow? or 2) Are you acting in a way to contract and restrict? I think Steve would say: 1) Are you acting out of love? or 2) Are you acting out of fear? Growth sees what could be. Survival only sees what is. Growth says get or give more. Survival says keep more. This is a pretty simplistic way to think about it. Maslow's heirachy of needs dovetails nicely into this growth/survival paradigm. |
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08-21-2007, 12:39 AM
| #29 (permalink) |
| Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 344
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i think i'm in all three -- is that possible?? i mean, in the grand scheme of things, i think i'm definitely in "growth mode"... i have more clarity and drive now than ever before. i know exactly what i want to do with my life. i understand that i have a purpose.. and i have a general idea of how i'm going to fulfill that. but at the same time, there are days when i feel like i'm in "survival mode"... because i'm in this weird transitional state... nothing is really stable right now... i'm not sure where i'll be living this time next year... i'm still a broke college student... (not literally broke.. but you know--not a millionaire yet. )i'm just not quite at the point where i can fully devote myself to my main life goal. i have to get through this tedious transitional phase to be able to do what i want to do... so even though i am working my way up to something greater, i occasionally feel like i'm just trying to "survive." and then there are also days when i feel like i'm "floating." being in college, i'm surrounded by people who want to "do as little as possible" and "have as much fun as possible." a lot of them don't think on the same level that i do, but i do want to have fun with people my own age... so sometimes i give in to that. ...and today was one of those days. i was ridiculously lazy and laidback, and couldn't care less. but i think i have 5 growth days for every 1 "survival" and "floater" day. so i'm not worried. Last edited by Amandaaa; 08-21-2007 at 01:01 AM. |
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08-21-2007, 03:27 AM
| #30 (permalink) |
| Member Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 73
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Personally, I'm in a pretty good growth mode. I have a list of goals I want to accomplish, along with rough drafts of plans to success. My plans can change often from day to day, depending on the goal and how much I need to alter my plan, but I'm fairly certain my goals will be reached. |
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