Finding Your Place in the World

Most people find a place in the world by satisfying certain wants and needs -- of other people! If these wants and needs match your own you are among the lucky few. For the rest of us there is a difficult search necessary, which may not end successfully.

To increase the likelihood of success it would be wise to start somewhere that someone else has found beneficial. For that reason we will start by considering some of the insights conce
ing one's development as an artist that can be found in Scott McCloud's excellent book "Understanding Comics." Mr. McCloud presents us with a very basic and penetrating analysis of the challenges any artist faces, making it quite feasible to generalize some of his insights so they apply to the problems everyone face in pursuing a fulfilling way of life. Let's start with his observation that: Nearly all problems are due to communication problems.

Obviously we need some form of representation in order to convey our thoughts. Representations range from accurate portraits of reality to symbolism of abstract ideas. No matter what the representation however, it is only a representation and not the real thing. This means only part of the characteristics of whatever you are trying to communicate can be given -- yet often that is enough. People receiving the communication will perform acts of closure. Closure happens when someone observes the parts and perceives the whole -- in other words, fills in the gaps. But while this closure may make perfect sense -- it may not be quite the sense originally meant. So communication problems are unavoidable, and perception is incomplete.

When we observe people doing something we only see their actions, not the reasons behind those actions. This may be the reason behind Scott McCloud's observation that:
People want roles not goals.

And with this focus on roles over goals their approach to finding a place in the world usually is rather superficial. Let's look at what a non-superficial approach to developing ability in some area of interest would look like.

There are three stages to a methodological approach:
1) WHY should you have certain pursuits?
2) WHAT results should you strive for?
3) HOW can you achieve the desired results?
In each of these stages there are general and specific conce
s. This leads to six steps in your development in your chosen field.

WHY: general
1) Developing PURPOSES: these will determine the content of your work.

There must be some chosen direction to your efforts,nsome point to it all, otherwise the results will benmostly a matter of chance. To find really worthwhile purposesnrequires serious thought -- which requiresna mind that is highly developed for exactly such a search.

WHY: specific
2) Developing GOALS: these will determine the tasks of your work.

Once you know what desirable goals would look like then nthe specific tasks will be easier to see. To discover ndesirable goals consistent with some purpose of yours nrequires a mind that is highly developed fornrecognizing such goals.

WHAT: general
3) Developing REPRESENTATIONS: these will determine the form of your work.

You must work in some idiom, using languages wellnsuited to that field of interest. This determines thengeneral form of your results. There may be many typesnof languages to choose from; or you may even have tondevelop a new form of expression, more suited to you
purposes. These decisions require a mind that is highly ndeveloped in making such decisions -- decisions that nsometimes have no president.

WHAT: specific
4) Developing STRUCTURES: these will determine the ncomposition of your work.

It is one thing to have adequate forms of expression,nand quite another to be able to arrange expressions inna meaningful order. The editing or structuring of your nwork can make a world of difference. These activities nrequire a mind that is highly developed in composing neffective results.

HOW: general
5) Developing the CRAFT: these abilities will determinenthe construction of your work.

There are skills and procedures which must be learned nbefore you can actually construct real results in your nchosen field. Even if you know why you are striving forna certain type of result, and even if you know whatnthis result would look like, the question remains:nhow do you get from here to there? These abilitiesncomprise what is termed the craft of your field.
Acquiring an adequate level of expertise in this craft nrequires a mind that is highly developed in modifyingnand extending its understanding of the options navailable for this growth.

HOW: specific
6) Developing the observed SURFACE: this will determine the finished look of your work.

The surface of your results is the area firstnrecognized by other people -- and sometimes that is allnthey are aware of and understand. Therefore if your nresults are to be appreciated by more than only thosenpeople who think exactly like you, and have exactly thensame background, then the surface must generate real ninterest -- enough to encourage them to give serious nconsideration to what lies below the surface. Of course nif there is no substantial purpose to your work then nthere will be no value to be found below the surface.
Even producing stimulating superficial aspects in you
work will require a mind that is highly developed innthat level of communication.

The six steps of development that have just been discussed are those activities required for success in your chosen field, but they are not the steps most people take -- and therefore most people have very limited success in any field. What most people do is start with a focus on either step 5 or step 6: the “HOW TO” steps. Then they pay minimal attention to the other four steps, often ignoring step 1 almost completely. Their reasons for WHY they are doing what they do are very superficial and therefore all the rest of their growth is very shallow. (Note however, sometimes a passion for WHAT can become a serious PURPOSE -- and this involvement in the field can be its own reason for being.)

And so, to find your place in the world you must learnnhow to think in all of the six steps of development --nyou must learn how to think comprehensively.

To learn about comprehensive thinking take the course
"Inventing Your Life."

To find out about the course "Inventing Your Life"nsend your name and E-mail address to n.gilbreath@verizon.netnand the interactive program "ABOUT" will be E-mailed to you.