[sublinear]

Are people really still stuck on the whole self-help thing in 2023?

Striving for continuous improvement can be a horrible treadmill that just keeps you sad because you are never good enough. It's a repackaging of your own awful stubbornness sold back to you. Inevitably you will have to stop self-flagellating and ruminating endlessly or you'll never be able to enjoy your life.

Mistakes are not proof that you need to improve or evidence of what you do or don't know. They're just proof that you're human and aren't foolishly consistent. You can't create much without some enjoyment. If your ego still wants you to be the greatest that ever lived, that's ok go for it, but what it takes doesn't seem to be what many think. It's not how much effort you put into your work, but the thoughtfulness that comes from a state of flow that you can't will into existence consciously.

Examples are everywhere. Every celebrity, all star athlete, politician, genius, etc. all have flaws and they wildly succeeded despite that. Many of them are obviously bigger pieces of shit than you, or you wouldn't be obsessed with what the media says about them, right? So? Live life and get away from the messages sold to you.

[ethanbond]

Counterpoint: Striving for improvement can also be a good way to get better at things that are important to you

Everyone who succeeded did so in spite of their flaws, yes, but that’s because their strengths were significant enough and well-placed.

[sublinear]

Yeah I was thinking more along the lines of personal growth, not necessarily skills.

Getting good at your job or hobbies are also a great way to boost self esteem and there's for sure philosophies in their ways that translate to some personal growth, but overall I meant mental health, relationships, emotional intelligence, etc. which don't really fit the "skill" abstraction because they're not a means to an end.

[satisfice]

Well said.