I read this, and I have also read "The Practicing Mind" which is exactly what this post is about. My issue isn't in understanding the premise. It all makes sense, and I get a sense of "ah hah!" every time I read it (I've read it twice).
The issue for me is that I really struggle to turn this theory in to effective practice. Each time after reading "The Practicing Mind" I have tried to cognitively remind myself whenever I was frustrated, to stop and look at the problem as a beginner would, to drop my ego, etc.
The problem is that it would sort of help, temporarily. I'd find myself a little bit better at getting a solid day of work done, but not dramatically better. After a week or so, I'd forget to even do the exercises, and I'd be back to struggling.
What honestly helps more than anything, the "magic bullet" really is pharmacology (aderall). For me, it somehow calms me down. I don't feel more energy, I feel tranquil, and able to let defeat roll off my shoulders.
Sadly, taking aderall is not a sustainable solution. Amphetamine is a neurotoxin which raises blood pressure. Not to mention, I don't like being "tranquil" for anything other than my work. I like my 'normal' state of semi-uncontrolled energy, which is great for exercising and video games. I'd like to be able to turn this feeling on or off, and taking a medication doesn't allow for this.
So I tend to see saw between three states... 1) Struggling at work, barely getting by, quality of life sucks. 2) On medication, happy at work, feeling productive and peaceful, but desire to get off medication 3) Off medication, using "Beginners Mind" but find my ability to implement it in a way that is strongly effective, absent.
Thanks for sharing this perspective! I know exactly what you're talking about. I wrote this piece and have to admit that even for me I have days when I struggle to bring this attitude to a problem or a day. I guess it's one of those hard habits to break.
What helps for me the most is intentionality. To literally set my intention for a day or for a problem right before I jump in. So if I know I'm about to jump into a tricky problem I literally take a few seconds to remind myself of the attitude I want to bring and even exactly what I want to focus on.
So this would be things like "Don't try to judge difficulty (easy/hard), just go wherever it takes me" or "Don't be afraid of the amount of work". One that super helpful for me is deliberately separating to "understanding" part of a problem from the "solving" - so i'd tell myself "I'm just trying to understand what's going on right now - solve later". Etc etc.
Funny you mention Adderall, as I just took one today to help be more productive after a long, exhaustive weekend out of town. I totally agree what you say about how it affects work in a positive way, but that it isn't a sustainable solution. I believe the key is moderation. I won't allow myself to use one more than once a week at most, which I feel does a good job of keeping any sort of psychological dependence on it away, minimizes the negative physical repercussions it could cause, and to keep the feeling fresh.
I'm guessing that you've already heard this from like 10 people, but have you experimented with a lower dose or other ADD meds? I have heard that methylphenidate and vyvanse have weaker effects on mood while still helping calm down distractions. Their effect is bit less noticeable in general.
The issue for me is that I really struggle to turn this theory in to effective practice. Each time after reading "The Practicing Mind" I have tried to cognitively remind myself whenever I was frustrated, to stop and look at the problem as a beginner would, to drop my ego, etc.
The problem is that it would sort of help, temporarily. I'd find myself a little bit better at getting a solid day of work done, but not dramatically better. After a week or so, I'd forget to even do the exercises, and I'd be back to struggling.
What honestly helps more than anything, the "magic bullet" really is pharmacology (aderall). For me, it somehow calms me down. I don't feel more energy, I feel tranquil, and able to let defeat roll off my shoulders.
Sadly, taking aderall is not a sustainable solution. Amphetamine is a neurotoxin which raises blood pressure. Not to mention, I don't like being "tranquil" for anything other than my work. I like my 'normal' state of semi-uncontrolled energy, which is great for exercising and video games. I'd like to be able to turn this feeling on or off, and taking a medication doesn't allow for this.
So I tend to see saw between three states... 1) Struggling at work, barely getting by, quality of life sucks. 2) On medication, happy at work, feeling productive and peaceful, but desire to get off medication 3) Off medication, using "Beginners Mind" but find my ability to implement it in a way that is strongly effective, absent.