Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement

7 Painful Paradoxes of Self-Improvement that Create More Problems Than They Solve


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A lot of the self-improvement industry and advice is backwards. The more books we read the further away from our goals we become.


Ultimately we want to be happier yet we are accruing more and more things to fix before we are happy with ourselves.


In this episode, we explore the biggest paradoxes where the work we do can make us more brittle and breakable:


  • Effortlessness Paradox - The harder we try the harder we make it
  • Happiness Paradox - Pursuing Happiness instead chases it away
  • Validation paradox - Seeking external validation prevents internal validation
  • Emotions paradox - Suppressing emotions makes them overwhelm us
  • The Shadow - Rejecting our flaws makes them worse
  • Planning Paradox - Overplanning reduces adaptability
  • Self-Improvement Paradox - The more things you find to fix the more broken you feel

  • Searching and finding can be different things.


    We learn a more subtle approach to self-improvement that spends more time building wisdom and focusing on smaller immediately actionable steps with less chasing and running in circles.


    We find answers to the question "How do we balance the art of wanting to improve whilst also wanting to live in contentment in the present?"



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      Growth Mindset Psychology:

      Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.

      📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)

      🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com



      Chapters:

      00:00 The Effortlessness Paradox

      03:08 The Messy Reality of Self-Improvement

      04:23 Introduction to the Growth Mindset Psychology Podcast

      05:14 The Paradox of Pursuing Happiness

      07:49 The Paradox of Validation

      10:52 The Paradox of Emotions

      12:53 Carl Jung and the Shadow Concept

      13:49 Acceptance Over Rejection

      15:07 The Planning Paradox

      16:29 Understanding Uncertainty Tolerance

      16:47 Steve Jobs' Journey of Adaptability

      17:27 Embracing the Unexpected

      18:06 The Paradox of Self-Improvement

      18:44 The Dunning-Kruger Effect in Self-Help

      19:49 The Slow Process of Real Change

      22:12 Balancing Self-Improvement and Acceptance

      25:22 The Timid Cat Analogy for Happiness

      26:33 Final Thoughts and Farewell

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