Help, too much information

[Superfluo]

Hi everybody!

It's been a while since I've started my journey towards growth and actualization. I watch videos (Leo's ones and other videos on YouTube), I read self-help books, I read topics in this forums, I read articles and blogs, I listen to podcasts, I try to change my behaviour and the way my brain in programmed, I try to change my habits, I started to heal with shadow work, and many more. 

However, now I'm starting to run into tons of information, and I don't know how to manage them. In a video, Leo suggested taking notes and spending a lot of time searching for information in order to find the most suitable ones for oneself. But now I have a lot of scattered notes, and too much information to handle. Everytime I read a topic here, in the forum, I see lots of valuable details, sentences, but I can't keep up with every one of them. I also can't keep up with all the videos I watch, all the powerful sentences in a book, ecc. I thought about making a mind map on paper for each argument, but it requires too much time and it will be hard and maybe useless. I'd like to avoid having to read again a book because I forgot something, or watch again a video of 2 hours because I was a little distracted and missed a key point. I also often run into information I already acquired, but I can't know it before reading/listening to/watching something. And I'm also a bit concerned about losing what I learned during this journey.

In the end what really matters is practice. But how can I practice in an powerful way if I can't put all information together?

So, how do you manage your personal growth? How do you organize all your knowledge? How do you approach new information? What do you focus first? How do you manage not to be overwhelmed?

Thank you!

 

Edited November 4, 2018 by Superfluo

[Superfluo]

@Outer So basically you're saying that too much information isn't a problem if I'm able to distinguish useful from useless?

[Andreas]

Focus on doing, not learning or knowing. You don't actually need all of these concepts. The only thing you need is action. That's the secret. Don't fall into the trap of spending hundreds of hours consuming "self-help". If you NEED information then look it up. Otherwise just live the lifestyle of chronic action. 

[Superfluo]

@Andreas Thank you, that idea roamed my mind for some time but I wasn't sure if it was right.

Any other practical advice?

[Nahm]

2 hours ago, Superfluo said:

So, how do you manage your personal growth? Consider that you are whole. Any personal growth is just that, of the person. What you are can not be added to, you are already infinite & complete. This allows life to be fun. It’s just an adventure. 

How do you organize all your knowledge? Onenote is easy and nice. 

How do you approach new information? With an ‘empty cup’. Without remembering and applying memory / past to what is new & now. 

What do you focus first? How do you manage not to be overwhelmed? By meditating first thing in the morning. 

 It seems like you’ve got to collect a million puzzle pieces to “realize” something, but a million “things” will never make You. You are already those million things. 

[RichardY]

1 hour ago, Outer said:

"Censorship works not by blocking the flow of information, but rather by flooding people with disinformation and distractions." -- Harari

The quote itself, is a disinformation and distraction, whether the author would consider it censorship. It does not inform of anything in particular, insinuates a definition, but instead puts forward vacuity. Instead propaganda is a closer description.

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I usually try to see if there is anyone better, or different out there somewhere. Too much growth without purpose, is generally called cancer in people. I guess reading or listening to novels can help, get a longer stream of consciousness, that you don't get with short serials. In the smaller context quotes don't necessarily mean much, without the wider context.

I remember a quote from a Daoist text by Chuang Tzu. Something like, "your life is short, knowledge is not, if you value knowledge you will be in trouble." 

[aurum]

@Superfluo

You could try the Commonplace journal Leo talks about. But this isn’t school, you don’t have to memorize every detail. It’s okay if you forget stuff, just keep coming back to it and what is practical for you at this moment.

[Andreas]

3 hours ago, Superfluo said:

@Andreas Thank you, that idea roamed my mind for some time but I wasn't sure if it was right.

Any other practical advice?

Yes, master doing. You need to train your mind like you train a muscle. There is no other way of doing it. Kind of like training to run a marathon and reading about different routines of running. And you never actually run, but just keep reading about routines or nutrition.

All these books and courses are just ways your ego distracts you to actually do it. I’ve been there. Lasted about a year. Doing is infinitely more powerful than knowing or learning. Good luck! 

Edited November 4, 2018 by Andreas
Grammar

[Superfluo]

@Nahm

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Consider that you are whole. Any personal growth is just that, of the person. What you are can not be added to, you are already infinite & complete. This allows life to be fun. It’s just an adventure. 

By meditating first thing in the morning.

Yes, I agree, but I didn't mean to go spiritual :D, but thank you. As latins said: "repetita iuvant", literally "The things (that are) repeated are useful".

Quote

With an ‘empty cup’. Without remembering and applying memory / past to what is new & now.

Interesting

 

Quote

"your life is short, knowledge is not, if you value knowledge you will be in trouble."

A powerful quote, thank you

 

@aurum

Quote

You could try the Commonplace journal Leo talks about.

I've just seen the video on his channel, guess I'll watch it. Thank you

 

@Andreas

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All these books and courses are just ways your ego distracts you to actually do it

Yes, totally agree. In fact now I'm in the process of shifting from absorbing to actually doing and I'm aware the ego tends to keep me in my comfort zone, thank you

[Andreas]

The best way to practice chronic action is meditation. Constantly shifting your focus back to your breath is the hard thing and the thing your ego doesn't want you to do. Life equals meditation. When you open your eyes after your session, you haven't stopped meditating. 

[Leo Gura]

@Superfluo Basically, you always want be doing a bit of video-watching, book reading, and note-taking. This you will do for years. And at the same time you want to have 2-4 things you are working on in your life using the various techniques and practices we talk about.

Like meditation, contemplation, psychedelics, journaling, working on your career, working on your diet, visualization, etc.

Start with those things which are giving you the most problem, which are keeping you stuck the most.

Don't try to do everything at once. Come up with a list of your priorities. Something like: #1 career, #2 diet, #3 relationships, or whatever. It's hard to do personal dev in the abstract. You need to have some concrete goals that you're working towards, whether it's getting a girlfriend or starting a profitable biz or having your first mystical experience. Those are all concrete goals you can work towards every day using various practices.

What are the top 3 ways in which you want to change your life? Start there.

[bejapuskas]

Leo is right, try taking on 1 or 2 only at the same time... Maybe you will still keep failing for few weeks, but it will be worth it  

[Superfluo]

In the end what y'all have told me is basically to get my *** off the chair and practice ahahahah.

Thank you everybody, I needed that kick in the *** to start doing instead of continuing to ponder. All your advice are valuable.

@aurum @Leo Gura I've watched Leo's video about the Commonplace Book. It's very helpful, it can boost hundreds of times learning and productivity. I didn't knew OneNote was so powerful! So grateful to have watched that video!

[Equanimitize]

@Superfluo A good rule of thumb that I use is your biggest opportunity for growth in your professional/business life are developing STRENGTHS, the biggest opportunity for growth in your personal life is always developing your WEAKNESS.