The Pragmatists discussion

The Power of Story by Jim Loehr: This book as a clear set of questions and a very interesting exercise of rating system that is based on the so called “China Study” where an entire generation was subjected to life altering changes through the power of writing. If you are seeking a change in your life, this book is about as simple and straightforward as it gets and based on the principle of collaboration.

It looks like the exercises themselves begin on page 28 (in my copy of the book). Should we begin there?

Leadership answer: Sure, why not.
The Scholar: Read the first chapter and note all the question Jim Loehr is asking. At the end of the first chapter, write your old story. The story that is governing your life today.
Me, (How I done it.) I made my notes reading the 1st chapter. Then I started to answer the questions. Sometimes I let an entire day go by while I focused on one question only. The idea is to capture the thought behind the thought. This is "soul writing."
Then I wrote my first draft. It came to about 1000 words that I recorded in audio and went for a walk to listen to it. I was happy with the result, it felt good. Then I took the first draft and created the 500- words version of it. This is an agreement with my study buddy to swap the essays that is preferably no longer than 500 words. It worked and flushed out some contradictions. In chapter two the topic of contradiction does come up! It is OK. So I sent it. I yet to receive the grading back but I am hopeful the process will work. Furthermore, the more people we share the essays for grading, the better feedback we'll end up with, yes?

Currently reading intro--decided to start at the beginning to get back into the whole mindset. Thanks for sharing your own process.

Wrote this to my Accountability partner this morning: "FYI, my realization is that the effective progression with each chapter is unlikely to fit any kind of predetermined schedule.
I say this because of the various levels of difficulties we need to overcome to find our thoughts behind our thoughts. Every year as we add an additional layer of complexity to our lives; this writing is like pilling back each of those layers. Will this be the work of pilling the onion or a sweet cabbage? Likely that we'll handle both and alternating between the sweet and the tearful experience."
Later in my letter I ended it by writing:
Summary: frequency of keeping in touch with each other is empowering and helps the writing process. The progress however is not subjected to any artificial time table.

Which seems in line with what Loehr is saying--it's about the energy not the time.

Today I received my first review from a study-buddy. The program is working and the power of the review started to shake the analytical overlays. Great potential!