Richard Wiseman Busting Self Help Myths (and telling us what DOES work)

Richard Wiseman interviewed by Marianne Cantwell, talking about the importance of getting it right in Self Development. (based on his book 59 Seconds)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• self development
• career change
• richard wiseman

[NightSound94]

wow.. I think.. that.. Is wiseman lying at 0:14?? cause his body language looks like that when he says that " he is perfectly happy"

[mythmanjay]

@humanyoda Maybe 'visualizing the final results' works for you because you're careful not to fail. I think Wiseman was thinking of people who guide their next steps by 'the success of their latest steps' (and not by 'what's good to do' necessarily) For example, my goal is ... well, I can't tell you the final goal; but one of its steps (which you might call a 'goal') involves 'having people whom I help achieve their goals' (wife, kids, nieces, nephews, fans, students, followers ... whatever)

[bill164]

@NightSound94 - Micro-expression of sadness with eyebrows at 0:16

[ReligiousAnarchist]

@mythmanjay

Saying it works for some because they are scared to fail is a poor excuse. Everyone who goes to the self help seminars (i am not supporting them, they are scamers) go to succeed. Anyone who wants to succeed is scared of failing

[ReligiousAnarchist]

He approaches subjects he is against the same way dawkins does, he evens argue the same way by labeling what he is against as Dangerous.

I agree with majority of what he says except visualising your goal is dangerous. Only if yout goal is anything to do with harming anyone. Everyone Visualises their goal at some point in their lives.

[ReligiousAnarchist]

His response to why visualisation is dangerous:

"And now if you do put your mind to it and listen to this terrible advise and fail then you become hopless you become fatalistic, theres nothing more you can do and go into a dark place"

Great role model for young kids. "dont aim high kids you might not make it"

He seems to be talking from experience.

[humanyoda]

@mythmanjay I don't know what he meant. I went by what I heard from him in his material.

Experience seems to suggest that goals become achieved when one doesn't have much resistance to achieving them, and sometimes just visualization alone (again, with lack of strong resistance) gets people where they want to get. And, of course, there are actions besides visualization. Physical beings can't be alive without actions at all. Even eating and pooping are actions :)

[humanyoda]

Maybe the studies Richard talks about are flawed? Or maybe he focuses mainly on studies that support his theory (and his income from writing). This is what has happened with the cholesterol-causes-heart-probl­ems theory and people who promote it. If one focuses on just one side, he gets skewed data that doesn't reflect the world.

Visualizing the final results seems to work for me and people I know.