To Hell With Baby Steps

Summary

The article discusses the concept of taking significant leaps towards personal growth rather than incremental baby steps, drawing on the wisdom of figures like William Blake and John Keats to emphasize the value of perseverance and the capacity to endure discomfort for greater long-term gains.

Abstract

The author expresses a disdain for the gradual approach of baby steps, advocating instead for bold strides akin to scaling Mt. Everest. The piece suggests that while the immediate outcome of such a leap may be failure, persistence in the face of folly can lead to wisdom. The author references Einstein's view of compound interest as a metaphor for the benefits of incremental mental health improvements, suggesting that consistent, small efforts can enhance one's ability to cope with difficult psychological states. The article also touches on the concept of Negative Capacity, the ability to tolerate uncertainty without hastily seeking closure, and quotes Scott Peck's emphasis on combining contemplation with action for a wise life. The author concludes by acknowledging the fun aspect of the poem and provides links to related works.

Opinions

The author's mind rejects the slow progress of baby steps, favoring ambitious attempts at success.
There is a questioning of the purpose and existence of smaller challenges when larger, more significant goals are attainable.
Despite an initial failure after taking a big leap, the author's mind suggests that persistence is key to gaining wisdom.
The article posits that small, consistent steps can lead to significant improvements in mental health and resilience.
The author aligns with the idea of Negative Capacity, valuing the ability to sit with discomfort without rushing to solutions.
The article promotes the idea that wisdom comes from a balanced approach of contemplation and action, as echoed by Scott Peck.

Climb the Mt. Everest Already — a half fun half not poem

so my mind hates baby steps it skips the work of taking baby steps and who knows how long it takes (or maybe there is a how to manual to copy-paste) “Why don’t you try a big leap already?” asks my mind

it is either Mt. Everest already or nothing at all, and so get ready to hell with those baby mountains “Why are they even there in the first place?” doubts my mind

and so I took my leap and obviously enough I fell flat on my nose “See, didn’t I told you to give up already?” says my mind.

“The fool who persists in his folly will become wise.”― William Blake, The Complete Poetry and Prose

hopefully, that was some fun :)

coming back to baby steps: compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world — says Einstein extending oneself in baby steps when applied to mental health I think one can extend their capacity to stay with discomforting mental states (not being lost in them but bringing conscious presence to them) be it doubts, conflicts, unresolved pain, or frightening thoughts and thereby gradually saving time and energy wasted in the effort of unconscious avoidance of the same

Can’t help but remember John Keat’s Negative Capacity: capacity to bear uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching for a quick solution or a conclusion

or as Scott Peck writes in the same spirit in Road Less Travelled on this capacity to spend enough time with a problem before prematurely jumping to do the thing or action out of an inability to bear discomfort in it

“The life of wisdom must be a life of contemplation combined with action.”— M. Scott Peck

To Hell With Baby Steps

Climb the Mt. Everest Already — a half fun half not poem

Tale Of Two Snails

A short story on our withdrawal and opening up nature

Boundaries Of The Mind

Meditations from the cricket ground — not risking the flow

The Pro

A line by line photo by photo poem