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Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

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Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#101

Post by gioele »

300bps wrote: post #45

In many cases, thinking that we are limited is itself a limiting factor. I've noticed this is true in ever facet of my life. When I was 14, I memorized pi to 50 digits with almost no effort. Later, I memorized it to 100, then 200. I realized at that point that I could memorize anything that I wanted to. I memorize phone numbers, credit card numbers, everything with almost no effort and not using any mnemonic device.…

> I actually convinced a friend of mine many years ago that he could in fact memorize pi to 100 digits... and he did and still remembers it to this day. I'm convinced anyone can do this and the major thing stopping them is their belief that they can't do it.

I have similar experiences with (re)teaching basic math tricks and approximation to adults. "Oh, I wish I could to that but I suck at math" is a quite common response. I love the flash in their eyes when, after a short explanation, they make their first multiplication by 9 or division by 5 without the use of a calculator.

What I still don't understand is why some people are satisfied after learning the first trick while other (only 1/10th max) ask for more tricks. Shouldn't the idea of having learnt something new _always_ sparkle the interest in learning more?

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#102

Post by xauronx »

300bps wrote: post #45

In many cases, thinking that we are limited is itself a limiting factor. I've noticed this is true in ever facet of my life. When I was 14, I memorized pi to 50 digits with almost no effort. Later, I memorized it to 100, then 200. I realized at that point that I could memorize anything that I wanted to. I memorize phone numbers, credit card numbers, everything with almost no effort and not using any mnemonic device.…

Man, this is so disappointing that everyone shits on you for this post. Just like most negative internet forums, you end up with one person putting themselves out there and telling about their experience and then 100 people criticizing everything about it (and plenty of stuff they made up about it).

Anyhow, I think your root sentiment is valid (that most people are only limited by what they believe they can accomplish). Most people take offense to the "little effort" part, but I believe that if you through pure will power accomplish something you thought you would NEVER accomplish, that's "little effort". Most people would probably be surprised by their progress in something if they just put their heads down and worked at it.

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#103

Post by MichaelGG »

loceng wrote: post #68
vidarh wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eckhart Tolle is pretty much repackaging meditation practises with a huge dose of new age nonsense. As such, there are certainly the odd kernel of useful stuff in there, but I'd recommend a decent introduction to meditation over Tolle any day.

I've not read any books of his, though I've yet to see in video him say anything that was non-sensical. What are you referring to?

Uh, The Power of Now starts off with something about quantum entanglement "proving" that we're all one with each other.

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#104

Post by [deleted] »

smokeyj wrote: post #92
[deleted] wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[deleted]

I'm sorry about your memory problem, but I think you're being a little sensitive. OP's point was simple: if you believe in yourself, you'll be in a better position to succeed. No, this doesn't guarantee success. But it's better than not believing you can. You're correct, your crippled grandma won't be able to walk because she believes she can. Unfortunately that wasn't OP's point.

[deleted]

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#105

Post by 300bps »

epidemian wrote: post #98
300bps wrote: post #45

In many cases, thinking that we are limited is itself a limiting factor. I've noticed this is true in ever facet of my life. When I was 14, I memorized pi to 50 digits with almost no effort. Later, I memorized it to 100, then 200. I realized at that point that I could memorize anything that I wanted to. I memorize phone numbers, credit card numbers, everything with almost no effort and not using any mnemonic device.…

You've received a lot of criticism for that comment, but, considering myself as having a very bad memory, i'm grateful that you posted it. It made me reconsider how much of my "terrible" memory is because it actually sucks or because i already have a preconception that i'll forget about everything if i don't write it down. You see, it's not that my memory is equally terrible for all things. Sometimes i forget about t…

You've received a lot of criticism for that comment, but, considering myself as having a very bad memory, i'm grateful that you posted it

Thanks. Just to dig the hole deeper for myself - I used to have a terrible time falling asleep when I was younger.

For the past 20 years though I sleep like a baby every night. If I wake up in the middle of the night (normally due to one of my 3 children or my wife), I fall back asleep with no problem.

Honestly the only thing I did differently was I managed to convince myself that I am a great sleeper. I found the thing that was keeping me up nights was worrying about how much sleep I was going to eke out that night.

I'm sure someone will now say how arrogant and smug I am because they have a disorder that causes them to smack themselves in the face every 10 seconds which makes good sleep impossible.

i already have a preconception that i'll forget about everything if i don't write it down.

I purposely write nothing down temporarily. I deal with CUSIPs at work a lot and I will purposely memorize them for short time periods instead of copying/pasting them because I find the more I do it, the better I am at it.

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#106

Post by diydsp »

sheri wrote: post #21

In my Psych course in college we were told on how playing on gender roles can affect performance. Boys and girls were given a math test. On average they performed equally. However when they were given the test and told that the test was also to evaluate how girls do as compared to boys the results were interesting. Girls did worse then average on being told this and boys did better than average. This article seems to…

In addition, there was a recent study that said when women write fake names on their test papers before they take math tests, they do better! [1] This suggests not only do gender expectations influence performance, but one's own assessment of one's identity has an influence on performance!

Maybe that's why some people have multiple personalities - one is good at math, one at geography, one at programming ;)

[1]http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/smartnews/2013/07/if-women-a...

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#107

Post by sown »

300bps wrote: post #91
gems wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please just answer the question. You seem to be using the person (sillysaurus) as an excuse to avoid having to address problems in your own worldview.

In this short "debate", sillysaurus has called me "annoying", "smug", "arrogant", "biased" and referred to me repeatedly as "people like you". He's not debating me. He's debating every person that ever insulted him and using me as the punching bag while he's doing it. He's not listening to what I'm saying. Every time I reply to him he hears the people who have been putting him down and becomes more angry. Why in the…

In any event, I hope we all learned something from this. :)

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#108

Post by gems »

300bps wrote: post #94
gems wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You said, with regards to memorization, in your OP: "I'm convinced anyone can do this and the major thing stopping them is their belief that they can't do it." If you want to now adjust that claim and say "some can do it", you better be able to tell us how to distinguish.

Oh you're just being so silly now. Here is my original comment: I'm convinced anyone can do this and the major thing stopping them is their belief that they can't do it. Here is how I am comfortable revising it for the offended sticklers in this thread: I'm convinced anyone (of typical mental capacity) can do this and the major thing stopping them is their belief that they can't do it.

I'm asking you to be rigorous with your claims. And there's nothing wrong with being pedantic.

If you can't respond to questions without getting defensive, please grow up.

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#109

Post by 300bps »

sown wrote: post #88
300bps wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm just replying to tell you I'm not going to reply to you anymore. This has apparently stirred some serious anger in you and there's no point to any further discussion between us. I apologize for any offense and hope things get better for you.

>I apologize for any offense and hope things get better for you. Just FYI, that can also come across as being belittling. I am not being sarcastic and I can see the ambiguity would be confusing, but that seems like a polite way of saying '&!#$ you', I hope you get better . At memorizing?

Just imagine how great at offending people I would be if I tried to offend them!

I apologize in advance for the inevitable offense you will take from this comment.

Re: Your Thoughts Can Release Abilities Beyond Normal Limits

#110

Post by gems »

300bps wrote: post #91
gems wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please just answer the question. You seem to be using the person (sillysaurus) as an excuse to avoid having to address problems in your own worldview.

In this short "debate", sillysaurus has called me "annoying", "smug", "arrogant", "biased" and referred to me repeatedly as "people like you". He's not debating me. He's debating every person that ever insulted him and using me as the punching bag while he's doing it. He's not listening to what I'm saying. Every time I reply to him he hears the people who have been putting him down and becomes more angry. Why in the…

What is the functional difference between a handicapped person who can memorize little and a person who isn't labeled handicapped but memorizes just as much? If there is none, then your qualification is useless.

What difference does it make what the source of the problem is? Why do you have to know the type of handicap?

edit: he/she has already given an excuse for him/herself to stop answering questions. :(

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