Plateau

[SMI]

What the best way to get out of a plateau in personal development?Is there a way to avoid the plateau?

[Nathalie]

@Murtaza I'm not that involved, so i assume that "plateau" means, you have the feeling you don't grow for the moment, right?

Is it possibly a good time for practice at different levels the development you went already through ?

A time to rest in order to grow more quickly and wholesomely after this.

In my opinion the one goes with the other, work and rest, development and plateau(?) and it works extremely good when you goes with the rythm..

Does it make sense?

[Zane]

When I had a deep plateau with my creative writing, I took a hiatus from creative writing and I used resources like Julie Cameron's "Artist's Way." I started writing by hand through journals to express my creativity. I got inspired to build a large portfolio of creative writing where I challenged myself to write five pages a day and I'm making great progress with my portfolio. I'm focusing on smaller scale projects like short stories, poems, character sketches, story ideas, and novella ideas. I've been focusing on treating writing like it's pleasure by being playful, open-minded and experimental with my writing. I lost my passion for creative writing and I'm rediscovering my creativity. It's perfectly fine to take breaks and to focus on relaxation and creating flow states for yourself! I focus heavily on taking nature walks to clear my mind and to relax and meditate! Taking walks alerts my senses and grounds me in the present moment to realize the beauty of nature! I've been a great mood recently because of the sunny weather. 

Edited March 9, 2016 by Zane

[Delusion]

I'd also recommend reading Mastery by George Leonard.

The plateau is necessary for the path of personal development, I personally try not to avoid it but embrace it instead. When commiting to mastering something, you will find out that 2/3 of the time is spent on the plateau. There are several things you should be aware of when realizing that you struggle to make progress or when you notice backsliding: you should be aware of how  this "homeostasis" works, you should remind yourself why you've commited to self-actualization in the first place and you should recognize the pitfalls along the way.

According to the situation, I try to be more active or take one step back and relax, depending on what I am working on at the moment. Maintaining physical fitness and relaxation on the one hand, and acting mindfully, on the onther, are the things that help me balance and keep me going when I find myself on the plateau. For example, if I wanted to improve my communication skills and I've been spending hours reading books, listening to self-help material and doing visualization and contemplation work, I'd try to balance the information consumption  and go out there instead and start practicing.

[VividReality]

deliberate motherfucking practice... there is no escape if you want to be the best! If you hold the ambition to become the best, you have to love the plateau!