Hello Steemians!
Before anything else, I would like to apologize to @thegaillery, @jsmalila, and to you for this late post. I am sorry for being so complacent. I laid my intentions in my first conjunction post that I should create a post that would compliment the main takeaway to further aid those who would wish to accept the challenge. I procrastinated, to be honest, because I knew that the originators of the project gave ample time for you to craft your entries.
When @brokemancode and @wandergirl almost simultaneously posted their entries for the second takeaway, a pang of guilt seeps in through me. I felt that I failed those who anticipated and rooted for me to create a conjunction post. I know that I was not entitled to do anything about the project or the originators had no expectations from me in the first place, but it is always my principle to fulfill my commitments. With that, allow me to ask forgiveness for my procrastination.
A little story on my defense though, I got busy with all the planning in the upcoming Steem Summit. I know @thegaillery can attest to that because she is with me in all the projects we are spearheading. Still, I made a promise and I should fulfill it. So here is my conjunction post on @jsmalila's The Confidence Project 2: Establish Your Motivation.
To those who have no idea what The Confidence Project is all about, here are the previous posts that would help you in crafting your entry, that is if you wish to accept the challenge.
The Confidence Project Manifesto:
The First Takeaway:
The Confidence Project Takeaway 1: Identify Your Areas of Focus
My conjunction post on the first takeaway:
The Second Takeaway:
The Confidence Project Takeaway 2: Establish Your Motivation
As part of my protocol to any conjunction posts that I'll make, all SBD rewards will be added to the reward pool of that particular takeaway; in this case, the second takeaway by @jsmalila.
Let's officially start the conjunction post!
Before I'll critique with the takeaway and the challenge, let me just emphasize that @jsmalila made an excellent elaboration on the first takeaway. He went as far as giving concrete examples, which is another evidence that the initiators of The Confidence Project really know what they are doing. My conjunction post on the first takeaway is simply my interpretation of @thegaillery's words, but his elaboration goes beyond my own understing of confidence. Excellent works come from excellent minds. I would say that @jsmalila has made an impression of how his mind works.
Now for the takeaway:
As the title of the takeaway suggests, it is centered on motivation. @jsmalila properly explained how important motivation is in the context of the project. He exemplified that if you already identified your areas of focus, you need to establish your motivation in completing the steps you have listed to attain your desired goal.
This is entirely true to all personal improvement activities that you want to undergo. This is because the gauge of your success in attaining your desired goals of improvement is not on how grand you started it, but on how well you managed to continue with it. The main issue is on consistency and establishing your motivation is the key to achieve that. Take note that personal improvement activities has no ending. You continue to improve until your last breath.
If you have read my conjunction post on the first takeaway, you will notice that I mentioned about intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. I think I went ahead with the initiators because I didn't know that they will discuss it in the second takeaway. Anyway, the second takeaway digs deeper into the concept of motivation as a prerequisite to gaining your confidence.
I would like to say that I learned a lot from the takeaway. My perspective is to have more on the intrinsic motivation than on the extrinsic one, but @jsmalila proved that we should establish a balance between the two. It's an eye opener for me because I always value intrinsic motivators more than extrinsic motivators. I guess I will change my perspective from now on. Extrinsic motivators can be immediate and striking while intrinsic motivators can be long-term and subtle. If this is the case, a balance between the two is needed for you to sustain your activities towards self improvement.
Let me quote @jsmalila in his main point about the takeaway:
Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are both relevant in establishing specific self-confidence. There must be a balance between the two and that they should work hand-in-hand.
I am amazed by that perspective because I haven't thought about that. It goes beyond my conventional thinking. Hats off to @jsmalila!
The challenge of the second takeaway is simply a reinforcement of the first takeaway. I loved the cohesiveness of the whole project. Take note of this: While the posts of The Confidence Project are standalone, everything points to the central theme, which is debunking the old notion of confidence. If you say that it's still too early to make such claims, I would counter that because I know how those people behave. They really know what they are doing.
Back to the challenge, it is laid out in such a way that you will revisit your old post, specifically the first takeaway, if you made one. If not, you will be forced to make an entry for the first takeaway and incorporate it in the second takeaway. This is how clever the initiators are. I don't know if they are doing it consciously because I haven't asked them, but it really boggled my mind how they came up with the idea.
Another thing I observed, anyone can just easily make an entry and join the challenge, but only a handful has made their entry so far. I deduced that it's easy to just blabber things and fool anyone. If you're really after the monetary reward, then just make things up. But I guess no one dared to do so because of how the layers of the project were laid out. Only those who really wanted to improve themselves will have the guts to accept the challenge.
Establishing your motivation is also not that easy. Why? It's because you can't fool yourself. No one will be able to judge you, but you know how much of a fool you are if you just make things up.
This will be short. The Confidence Project is a real deal and every takeaway is a reinforcement of the last. You can't just make things up.
Shout out to @reewritesthings, @wandergirl, and @brokemancode! Your entries were awesome! You inspired me to finish this conjunction post.
To self improvement,
Kim, @ybanezkim26