I'm not seeing how the understanding of science behind firewalking and feeling good about accomplishing something scary (i.e., actually firewalking) need to be mutually exclusive.
The Power of Negative Thinking
21–29 of 29 posts
Re: The Power of Negative Thinking
#22The trick of thinking about the worst possible scenario worked for me, when I had problems with social anxiety in high school.
If you expect the worst everything will turn out better than expected.
Or exactly what you expected, and at least you can say "told you so" :)
But I've meant that the worst I could imagine when I had tried was't really that bad to be so scared of it. So I realized I'm scared without sufficient reasons, and that I have much more to win, than to lose, so I just went for it. YMMV.
Re: The Power of Negative Thinking
#23How is it possible that there are people with enough money to afford a Tony Robins seminary and yet they don't know that firewalking is a "trick" and has barely anything to do with "motivation/self-awareness/whatevertheyareselling" ? It puzzles me.
"The most important men in town would come to fawn on me!
They would ask me to advise them,
Like a Solomon the Wise.
"If you please, Reb Tevye..."
"Pardon me, Reb Tevye..."
Posing problems that would cross a rabbi's eyes!
And it won't make one bit of difference if i answer right or wrong.
When you're rich, they think you really know!"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_I_Were_a_Rich_Man_%28song%2...
Re: The Power of Negative Thinking
#24I hate to talk about this but it might be worthwhile... avoiding negative emotions led me to depression and anxiety. About a year ago I started noticing that my life, while looking wonderful from the outside, was anything but. It was the subtle things -- eating pizza every night for a month, playing video games to pass the time, looking for excuses to avoid "living." Summer was just finishing up and one of my favorit…
What got you out of your funk/depression?
Re: The Power of Negative Thinking
#25I hate to talk about this but it might be worthwhile... avoiding negative emotions led me to depression and anxiety. About a year ago I started noticing that my life, while looking wonderful from the outside, was anything but. It was the subtle things -- eating pizza every night for a month, playing video games to pass the time, looking for excuses to avoid "living." Summer was just finishing up and one of my favorit…
So you know, this was absolutely worthwhile. I am experiencing an almost identical situation for an identical reason.
And it all started at one of the "all positive" corporate retreats mentioned in the article.
Re: The Power of Negative Thinking
#26I hate to talk about this but it might be worthwhile... avoiding negative emotions led me to depression and anxiety. About a year ago I started noticing that my life, while looking wonderful from the outside, was anything but. It was the subtle things -- eating pizza every night for a month, playing video games to pass the time, looking for excuses to avoid "living." Summer was just finishing up and one of my favorit…
>But what do we do when WE are the problem?
Find something outside yourself to focus on. Some quotes:
>The more I reflect on this question, the more convinced I am that man's fundamental purpose is to achieve; in other words, the striving toward goals is an end in itself. ... Viewed in that light, it would seem that striving itself - the constant working toward goals - is man's real purpose.
- - Robert J Ringer, How You Can Find Happiness During the Collapse of Western Civilization
>In order to live free and happily, you must sacrifice boredom. It is not always an easy sacrifice.
- - fortune-cookie, no attribution
>The only true happiness comes from squandering ourselves for a purpose.
- - William Cowper
>To be of use in the world is the only way to be happy.
- - Hans Christian Anderson
>We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about.
- - Charles Kingsley
And Eliezer's post on how having "Something to Protect" gives meaning to life, http://lesswrong.com/lw/nb/something_to_protect/
Something to protect is the most significant from your comment's view, fear of risk to your "something" is the strongest driver around.
Re: The Power of Negative Thinking
#27I hate to talk about this but it might be worthwhile... avoiding negative emotions led me to depression and anxiety. About a year ago I started noticing that my life, while looking wonderful from the outside, was anything but. It was the subtle things -- eating pizza every night for a month, playing video games to pass the time, looking for excuses to avoid "living." Summer was just finishing up and one of my favorit…
>But what do we do when WE are the problem? Find something outside yourself to focus on. Some quotes: >The more I reflect on this question, the more convinced I am that man's fundamental purpose is to achieve; in other words, the striving toward goals is an end in itself. ... Viewed in that light, it would seem that striving itself - the constant working toward goals - is man's real purpose. - - Robert J Ringer, How…
> In order to live free and happily, you must sacrifice boredom. It is not always an easy sacrifice.
According to the internet, this is from "Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah" by Richard Bach
Re: The Power of Negative Thinking
#28I hate to talk about this but it might be worthwhile... avoiding negative emotions led me to depression and anxiety. About a year ago I started noticing that my life, while looking wonderful from the outside, was anything but. It was the subtle things -- eating pizza every night for a month, playing video games to pass the time, looking for excuses to avoid "living." Summer was just finishing up and one of my favorit…
Alternatively you're moving into the classic profile of a person who is developing depression and you should see a mental health professional.
Re: The Power of Negative Thinking
#29How is it possible that there are people with enough money to afford a Tony Robins seminary and yet they don't know that firewalking is a "trick" and has barely anything to do with "motivation/self-awareness/whatevertheyareselling" ? It puzzles me.
It's possible that they do know that it's a "trick", scientifically speaking. According to this [1] article, Robbins does not attempt to explain one's ability to walk on hot coal as something accomplished with the power of one's mind; rather, it's a ritual focused on overcoming one's fear.