The Winding Path

The “learning edge“ meme asks one to:
Write a post about your “learning edge� and what you’re into these days. Feel free to mention any books you’re reading, classes you’re taking, people you’re learning from or collaborating with, etc. Tell us about the gems you’re picking up, the fun you’re having, etc., especially if they’re shifting the way you look at what you do.

Perfect timing indeed Jenny. I’m reading new books, taking new classes, collaborating with new people, picking up some gems, having heaps of fun, and definitely shifting the way I look at not only what I do, but how and why I do it.

I was unsatisfied with where I’d ended up after being employed in IT for seven years, and felt no motivation to remain in the industry. As I mentioned before, I’ve started studying Psychology after realising that the bulk of my thoughts have centred around psychological (and philosophical) concepts for a long time.

Part of the search for a new direction lead me to the realm of personal development, in which Steve Pavlina was the greatest influence. My path continued to the forums, and through the forums to a group of people, particularly Jenny over at Jenny and Erin, who helped me to see where the path was actually leading.

Now, rather than coasting along without any clear direction, I’m powering along with a determined gait which matches the purposeful strides I usually take when walking towards a definite destination.

I’m reading Antonio Damasio’s Descartes’ Error at the moment, plus I have a book on Psychoanalysis, a pile of Scientific American Mind magazines, a collection of Neuroscience review papers, and a long list of blogs related to psychology in various ways (which leaves it fairly open since *anything* related to thought, emotion, feelings, awareness, and consciousness, is related to psychology).

Tomorrow I attend my first Psychology lecture at the University of Melbourne. One of 700 first year students, though I’m undertaking a Graduate Diploma (yep, one of those mature-age students the undergrads all make fun of). In the near future I intend to be studying Neuroscience full time, possibly instead of this Psychology degree (it will act as a stepping stone), or after I complete it.

I’m learning how the functions of our brain relate to our behaviour, how our emotions, thoughts and feelings influence, and are influenced by, everything we encounter. I’m learning why people are the way they are, even when they’re completely unaware, and I’m seeing more and more parallels between them and myself.

As I result I’m becoming more tolerant of differing opinions, and more capable of talking about those opinions, and my own, without antagonism.

But the best part is that I finally feel like I’m going somewhere. My path is still winding up the mountain, but I’ve crested a ridge, had a glimpse of the mountain ranges beyond and the sheer scale of the mountain I’m steadily climbing, and I like what I see.

I choose to tag Liara and Scott.

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This entry was posted on Monday, July 23rd, 2007 at 3:08 pm and is filed under Challenges, Learning, Neuroscience, Personal Development, Psychology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.