Status Update

So it has been about a month since I picked up my first self-help book and done some research. I have come to the conclusion so far that as a globally aware individual I must think of others along with myself. Ehrenreich's views are globally applicable as well as logical in my eyes. By weighing the pros and cons of various situations one can view a situation from all angles. The combination of various suggestions argued by these two authors will contribute to my inner success. In a time when I face transition along with academic, athletic, and social pressure, these ideas can help me and others around me.

My Problem

I am at a time in my life where I face transition paired with academic, athletic, and social pressure. My day usually starts at 4:30 a.m. when I wake up to go to swim practice 30 minutes away and my problem begins. I enter the freezing cold water with swimmers that have been swimming since they were 4 or 5 years old and have been training 9 times a week for 3 or more years already...I got in the water for the first time last August not knowing how to do butterfly stroke. I'm faced with intimidation, strength, and commitment by 5:30 in the morning. After practicing for an hour and a half I get ready for school, a new school, and a hard school at that. The immense academic pressure accounts for 75% of the total pressure I feel on a daily basis. Throughout the day I sit through 75 minute class periods, attend numerous personal or club meetings, and finally end my day at 3:00 p.m...well, sort of. After school I recently took on the school musical and yearbook, so on various days I attend those activities until 4:30 when I make my way back to the pool. Until 6:00 I am running drills, sprinting, or lung-busting after which I drive half an hour away to pick up my siblings from school. Then, I drive 35 miles back home and it is 7:00. After dinner and showering I begin my homework at 9:00 and sit at my office desk until 12:00 a.m. before I get to go to sleep until later that morning. 

My days are hectic, unrelenting, and full of pressure from all angles (social pressure in a new environment, athletic pressure in a new sport, time pressure from driving 100 miles every day, and academic pressure from being a junior in high school). Many days I get stressed out and frustrated; I feel like breaking down or passing out. How do I find happiness in all of this? It's true that many of these activities are fun but I feel as if my mind is working at a million miles per hour without rest. I will take a journey that requires research, open-mindedness, and a willingness to cooperate, to obtain inner-success.

"Bright-Sided"

http://marxistupdate.blogspot.com/2009/11/boosterism-and-babbitry-go-marching-on.html

Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Bright-Sided, suggests a solution to finding happiness that is different from that of Gary Mack. She argues that idealism is a national problem that is prevalent in many entrepreneurs and large companies. Ehrenreich often finds herself blaming these people for the present-day economic crisis due to their refusal to consider the negative outcomes of situations. In her book, Ehrenreich unveils "the dark roots of American optimism" that lead back to Protestantism and picks apart positive psychology. Ehrenreich argues that this idealism leads to distress, personal self-blame, denial, and mental instability. However after pointing out many problems in our "positive" national moral system, Ehrenreich offers her solutions to seeking true happiness and inner excellence. She advises people to make conclusions partially based on the opinion of a group of unbiased intellectuals and partially on an individual basis. She concludes that "there seems to be an evolutionary paradox at work here: human survival in the face of multiple threats depended on our ability to live in groups, but the imperative of maintaining group cohesion can sometimes override realism and common sense, making us hesitate to challenge the consensus of be the bearer of bad news". Ehrenreich shows us that realism, a state of mind that encompasses the idea of what things really are, is not self-destructive or depressing, but can protect us from many problems. Unlike Mack, Ehrenreich does not argue that positive thinking, optimism, and motivation are the pathways to inner success.

My opinion: Ehrenreich's outward focus appeals to me much more than Mack's approach does because I am globally aware. She offers many ideas that come across as realistic and doable whereas Mack suggests many similar arguments. 

Ehrenreich, Barbara. Bright-Sided; How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking

     Has Undermined America. New York: Metropolitan, 2009. Print.

"Welcome to the Inner Game"

http://www.signs-of-stress.com/symptoms-of-stress.html

The book begins with a description of "the inner game" or the mental stage of success. Not only is this diagram provided by "Stress Free Forever!" applicable, it is entirely correct in the ideas that the writers of Mind Gym attempt to convey: the notion that an athlete's success is heavily based on the mindset of a person. These symptoms are often present in those who have yet to achieve athletic success. By providing many examples of athlete's with incorrect mindset, the authors conclude that mental health significantly increases performance. Mind Gym offers simple mnemonic devices that may improve mental weaknesses that hinder physical performance such as "The Four D's: desire, dedication, determination, and discipline" (Mack 92). These techniques along with mental exercises and anecdotes from various elite athletes coalesce to create the ultimate experience that revitalizes the mind and triggers a rebirth of your mentality. 
My opinion: I personally enjoy Part I because it sets the tone for the rest of the book which is informal, focused, positive, and direct. Mack and Casstevens introduce the usage of rhetorical questions and personal mental exercises that engage the reader to better understand the material being learned. Many constructive terminologies are used such as motivation, positive energy, and optimistic mentality. However, I must admit that at many points the authors belabor points that have already been established. Perhaps it is a psychology technique to ingrain certain ideas in one's mind by repetition. In any case, as a reader seeking self-help I was mostly captivated by the lessons preached.


Mack, Gary, and David Casstevens. Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence.
     New York: Contemporary, 2001. Print.