7 Painful Paradoxes of Self-Improvement that Create More Problems Than They Solve

Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement

A lot of the self-improvement industry and advice is backwards. The more books we read the further away from our goals we become.

Ultimately we want to be happier yet we are accruing more and more things to fix before we are happy with ourselves.

In this episode, we explore the biggest paradoxes where the work we do can make us more brittle and breakable:

• Effortlessness Paradox - The harder we try the harder we make it
• Happiness Paradox - Pursuing Happiness instead chases it away
• Validation paradox - Seeking external validation prevents internal validation
• Emotions paradox - Suppressing emotions makes them overwhelm us
• The Shadow - Rejecting our flaws makes them worse
• Planning Paradox - Overplanning reduces adaptability
• Self-Improvement Paradox - The more things you find to fix the more broken you feel

Searching and finding can be different things.

We learn a more subtle approach to self-improvement that spends more time building wisdom and focusing on smaller immediately actionable steps with less chasing and running in circles.

We find answers to the question "How do we balance the art of wanting to improve whilst also wanting to live in contentment in the present?"

Upgrade to Premium:

🏖️ Ad-free listening

🤘 Support the show

🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content

💬 Community Discord

GrowthMindset.Supercast.com

Sponsors

🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider

• 10 free meals across 7 boxes
• HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset

Get in Touch

👋 Free Call - Schedule Link

📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com

Growth Mindset Psychology:

Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.

📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)

🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com

Chapters:

00:00 The Effortlessness Paradox

03:08 The Messy Reality of Self-Improvement

04:23 Introduction to the Growth Mindset Psychology Podcast

05:14 The Paradox of Pursuing Happiness

07:49 The Paradox of Validation

10:52 The Paradox of Emotions

12:53 Carl Jung and the Shadow Concept

13:49 Acceptance Over Rejection

15:07 The Planning Paradox

16:29 Understanding Uncertainty Tolerance

16:47 Steve Jobs' Journey of Adaptability

17:27 Embracing the Unexpected

18:06 The Paradox of Self-Improvement

18:44 The Dunning-Kruger Effect in Self-Help

19:49 The Slow Process of Real Change

22:12 Balancing Self-Improvement and Acceptance

25:22 The Timid Cat Analogy for Happiness

26:33 Final Thoughts and Farewell

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices