I tend to write in the second person. It’s effective in concentrating the power of language. My influence most ripely comes from author Ryan Holiday and his no-nonsense book The Obstacle is the Way.
As a result, there may be a perceived subtext to my writing that “clearly I have fully implemented all my ideas into practice on a highly regular basis.”
No, don’t put me on a pedestal. I’ve made great strides in personal development, but I’m never done, and I definitely don’t have it all in my grasp. Writing assists in implementing my own ideas, because teaching helps you learn.
I also avoid qualifiers such as, “well, maybe considering taking this advice except in situation x and scenario y,” or “I don’t mean to ignore this alternate/competing perspective.”
No, clearly there are exceptions to statements. Often, two statements are both true even when they seem to contradict each other. That’s because the truth often exists beneath words themselves, like musical expression exists behind the ink on the notated page. To fully integrate knowledge, you must first define words as specifically as possible, and then wrestle with the concepts inside your own head.
Think for yourself. Be your own leader.
Let the truth be the authority, not the other way around.
JB
