Posts on the importance of personal growth or becoming an individual.
“You’re gonna need a bigger boat” warned the police chief to the old fisherman in the movie Jaws. He had just seen the great white shark that was feeding on swimmers near his oceanside town. We all need a bigger boat from time to time. The waves and creatures that we encounter on our voyage…
“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” Basketball legend, Michael Jordan When we think about our growth as people—whether in…
Have you ever tried to bake a loaf of bread with the oven door wide open? Probably not. You know that unless the door is closed the oven won’t get hot enough to bake the dough. This concept also applies to the development of your personality. Without enough “heat” you tend not to change. Unlike…
Have you ever had a dream in which you were trying, unsuccessfully, to find your way out of a large house or other building? You feel lost, frustrated, or panicky. You encounter hallways or stairways that lead nowhere, or perhaps circle back upon themselves. Odd passageways or doors all around, yet none seem to get…
“I drink to take the edge off” a client once told me. “It relieves the anxiety and tension that accumulates during my day.” I understood his meaning, but was also intrigued by his use of the word “edge.” An edge is a boundary or line where two things meet. The edge of a table is…
An 11 year-old boy was given the homework assignment of writing a letter to his future self. He wrote: “I’m 5 feet two inches 91 pounds. Good athlet [sic]. I think in 7 years I will be between 6 ft to 6ft 4 inches 140 pounds. I hope to go to a good college in…
They say that if the groundhog sees his shadow on Groundhog Day, there will be another six weeks of winter. The classic movie, “Groundhog Day,” weaves this playful theme into the story of a man emerging from the winter of his own life. The movie is full of psychological insights that can help turn winter…
Sarah thought that knowing the solution to a problem was the same thing as solving it. “I know I need to be more tolerant and accepting of my husband,” she stated, “so I’ll just do that. I’ll be more patient and accepting of him.” But Sarah didn’t succeed. She would forget her resolution or, when…
My last article in this series (12/12/13) pointed out that a major psychological task of childhood is the development of a strong ego. A strong ego should not be confused with a “big ego,” egocentricity, willfulness, or arrogance. “Ego strength” is a psychological term that describes the resilience and structural integrity of the conscious mind/identity.…
It is interesting how outer life communicates the messages of the soul. Arthur was a man who lived in the past even while he lived in the present. He tells the story–to all who will listen–of working for and “rubbing shoulders” with a famous business magnate. He later participated in a mildly successful scheme to…