Self Development: Gradual or with big projects?

[Ghost of the dead horse]

What are the advantages of each approach?

One philosophy professor advocated the idea of "micro-change", gradual small steps in developing oneself, or behavior. This one worked at the department of system analysis, seeing human behavior as a result from how the human system works. So the system is tuned in small increments, it's a working system afterall.

Examples of the opposite approach are too numerous to list here. TV is filled with reality series where you exercise intensively for 6 months, you lose weight in an extreme weight control program, etc. And these kinds of big programs are exciting, sometimes motivating. They deeply use a sense of self, as in, "I am a person who loses weight now", "I am a future fit person" etc.

So can we form a guide when to select the path of gradual improvements and when a big sudden program is preferable?

 

[Cellmold]

I would suggest, tentatively that the big exciting projects are the initial intervention that fires up an incentive and motivation.

But I believe that method to be short lived because identity is the changing of who we think we are as opposed to what we actually are. So then the gradual working model can be phased in as a real change or shift over a long period of time.
Probably over an entire lifetime as it doesn't really end (except maybe with the person's end) and taking part being about an existent journey as opposed to a rigid end with a goal.

Goals are ultimately short lived, but journeys are continuously changing. Use a goal to get moving but learn to appreciate the journey in order to keep going.

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

Maybe the ego boost is good for the beginning, when there aren't any results to be proud of. Transforming the initial excitement into something sustainable is challenge, but I agree it should be the final goal.