http://www.christopheravery.com/blog/are-you-really-capable-of-more-than-you-know/ Thoughts about how personal responsibility works in the mind Sat, 20 Feb 2010 03:42:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://www.christopheravery.com/blog/are-you-really-capable-of-more-than-you-know/#comment-5926 Christopher Avery Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:53:22 +0000 http://www.christopheravery.com/blog/?p=263#comment-5926 Thanks for your expanded view Jared. Yes, evaluation is the big ugly here. We quickly learn to judge everything as right/wrong, good/bad, perfect/imperfect and such, and that very judgement keeps us from learning since it gives us a short-cut to the meaning of something. In order to learn we have to get past our accumulated short-cuts, or as you say, let go. Thanks for your expanded view Jared. Yes, evaluation is the big ugly here. We quickly learn to judge everything as right/wrong, good/bad, perfect/imperfect and such, and that very judgement keeps us from learning since it gives us a short-cut to the meaning of something. In order to learn we have to get past our accumulated short-cuts, or as you say, let go.

]]> http://www.christopheravery.com/blog/are-you-really-capable-of-more-than-you-know/#comment-5925 Jared Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:34:53 +0000 http://www.christopheravery.com/blog/?p=263#comment-5925 The power that one has is not just over their responses to everday situations, but is in fact much larger. Anyone can learn anything. Many adults are struggling to learn another language right now while their children breeze through it, why? You have to let go of everything you know. Not forget it, it is important to remember it, but it is also what is holding you back. Kids find it easier to learn things because they are not yet biased to new subjects. Here is an example: Answer the following problem 2+2=__ If you said 4, than you might be wrong. The answer could also be 0, 1, or 2. How? It is in the context. You have not been given enough information to answer this question, and if you rely on what you know (your grade school math) you might get the wrong answer. 0; if two wrongs don't make a right, it would stand to reason that 4 wrongs don't make a right either, so the answer is 0. 1; two hydrogen atoms + two oxygen atoms = 1 germ killing hydrogen peroxide molecule. 2; two men + two women = two heterosexual couples. The examples could go on forever but the bottom line is that sometimes we react before we have all the necessary information. So by bringing years of english grammar and prejudice toward Latinos to your Spanish classes, you are actually holding yourself back subconsiously. The way to get past it is to make a concious decision. In order to do this you have to be committed not just involved, in your studies, in your family, in your job, in your life. (The difference between involvment and committment is like a ham and egg breakfast, the chicken was involved, the pig was committed.) Anyone can learn anything. The power that one has is not just over their responses to everday situations, but is in fact much larger. Anyone can learn anything. Many adults are struggling to learn another language right now while their children breeze through it, why? You have to let go of everything you know. Not forget it, it is important to remember it, but it is also what is holding you back. Kids find it easier to learn things because they are not yet biased to new subjects. Here is an example: Answer the following problem 2+2=__ If you said 4, than you might be wrong. The answer could also be 0, 1, or 2. How? It is in the context. You have not been given enough information to answer this question, and if you rely on what you know (your grade school math) you might get the wrong answer. 0; if two wrongs don’t make a right, it would stand to reason that 4 wrongs don’t make a right either, so the answer is 0. 1; two hydrogen atoms + two oxygen atoms = 1 germ killing hydrogen peroxide molecule. 2; two men + two women = two heterosexual couples. The examples could go on forever but the bottom line is that sometimes we react before we have all the necessary information. So by bringing years of english grammar and prejudice toward Latinos to your Spanish classes, you are actually holding yourself back subconsiously. The way to get past it is to make a concious decision. In order to do this you have to be committed not just involved, in your studies, in your family, in your job, in your life. (The difference between involvment and committment is like a ham and egg breakfast, the chicken was involved, the pig was committed.) Anyone can learn anything.

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