I have a split response to that.

From a Zen perspective, I absolutely agree.

At the same time, I can look at your question from another perspective.

I doing a paper of Positive Psychology. (Tal-Ben Shahar is running an online course through the University of Pennsylvania).

From that perspective I can see that aspirations are also stories. And these grand stories can shape our life in a wonderful way.

The Buddha also had a grand story. He wanted to find out how to relieve human suffering. His grand aspiration still affects many, many people’s lives today.

I’m busy writing a first post on the power of the mind.

I could go on and on now, Kirk, because I’m fascinated by your question. But I’ll save it up for my next post.

I’d love it if you would return and comment on the next post!

When studying Japanese in university, I was able to infuse the process with passion because of the carryover it had to other aspects of my life. I studied Aikido (a Japanese art), Zen, and Japanese cuisine. Having this overlap in interests was really helpful and helped me grow in all of them. Obsessive? Maybe. Effective? Definitely.

Thanks always.
j

really liked the moving forward with the brakes on analogy. quite a common one but the use here really made sense. i really believe that anybody can learn to do anything (barring literal limitations like a midget trying to become a basketball superstar )…and that it’s not so much that we can’t do it but we stop ourselves from being able to.

motivation for me is always a simple question, “do i really want this?” asked after fully picturing what it’s going to be like to already have accomplished what i’m learning. gets me every time.

liked the way you phrased “released the brakes”. reminds me of sedona method and other release technique stuff.

number 3 seems inextricably linked to number 1 to me, but still great way of putting it to keep it in mind.

i guess for me, having learnt a lot of different things after thinking that i was completely useless and failing school – going on to graduate with all As and learn a bunch of things – the biggest thing is knowing that it’s possible. not believing, not thinking, actually knowing in every beat of your being that it’s possible. either by proving it to yourself or by learning something that you thought you couldn’t do and applying that to something else you think you can’t do.

to me… you can do anything. learn anything. be anything.

inspiring stuff
gave it a stumble

all the best
alex – unleash reality

When I was considering starting to learn japanese I just started learning because the difference between those who achieve and those that just want is just a decision to do it.

But it was difficult without a clear map in a world I had never explored. Then I found a guy on the web who had effectively taught himself japanese in 2 years from outside of japan. Plus he had laid on all the steps in a web guide.

Knowing that someone had already achieved what I wanted and had provided the steps to do so, freed me up from so many questions that I only could never answer.
Jarrod – Warrior Development´s last blog ..Managing Self Development