Do You Need Self-Improvement Platitudes?
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You may be cringing reading the title of this blog post. You’re likely thinking “self-improvement platitudes? Those are a waste of time. They’re cliche. And they don’t actually help me.”
But you couldn’t be more wrong.
You see, there’s actually a reason why platitudes exist. These platitudes have stood the test of time. Many were created hundreds to thousands of years ago. Yet, they are still commonly said to this day.
Ancient wisdom never becomes irrelevant. The ancient philosophers knew a lot about human nature, which hasn’t changed. Even considering the technological innovations that have revolutionized the world.
Platitudes are useful bits of knowledge… If you actually think about them. And they are even more useful if you apply them to your life.
Let’s dive into the power of platitudes!
What are self-improvement platitudes?
Self-improvement platitudes are statements that are used too often, to the point where their meaning has been watered down by society. People think platitudes are boring and not thought-provoking.
But these statements carry significant moral meaning. People just don’t think about their meaning.
Platitudes were created for a reason. They teach you an important life lesson in a quick, snappy statement. Platitudes are big lessons condensed down into their shortest possible form.
They are bits of wisdom that you can actually remember. They aren’t abstract like a lot of philosophy. Instead, platitudes are accessible. They’re easy to understand. And they’re easy to apply to your own life.
These lessons serve you when you encounter difficult circumstances.
Platitudes are meant to give you the advice to navigate tough times, make smarter decisions, and live a happier life.
They give you the tools to build a good mindset. Platitudes help you see things from a more positive and healthy perspective. A perspective that will help you live a successful and happy life.
What are some examples of self-improvement platitudes?
You’ve most likely heard hundreds of platitudes by now. You likely hear them every day. Or you may say them yourself.
Here are a few that can be used for self-improvement:
Patience is a virtue
Everything happens for a reason
Rome wasn’t built in a day
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger
Winners never quit
Work smarter, not harder
This too shall pass
You are what you eat
Fall in love with the process
This list could go on and on, but you get the idea. These platitudes can all be used for self-improvement.
Keep these platitudes in mind as you go about your life. You’ll find situations to apply the lessons from them.
Unexpected things happen all the time in life. It’s unavoidable. But having these platitudes in mind will help you deal with these situations effectively.
Remember, there was a reason why the platitude was created. And there’s a reason why it became a popular phrase that has stuck around.
The problem with platitudes…
The reason why you cringe at self-improvement platitudes is that you don’t think about their meaning.
You’ve heard them a thousand times. When you hear a platitude such as “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, you cringe. You think to yourself, “Yeah, yeah. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Boring. Tell me something I don’t already know.”
You don’t think about why the platitude exists. Or the meaning of the platitude.
In the example above, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, the platitude exists for two reasons. First, it takes a lot of time to build things. You’ve got to be patient. And second, things can be destroyed much faster than they are built. You can destroy weeks worth of progress in a single day.
When you don’t think about the meaning of the platitude, it becomes meaningless to you.
Lack of action
Another problem with platitudes is the lack of actionability with them.
You may hear a self-help guru give you platitudes. These platitudes may pump you up temporarily. Or they may make you cringe.
You may get suspicious of these gurus because you feel like you’re wasting your time and/or money. The problem is, you didn’t apply the platitudes to your life.
Maybe the self-help guru didn’t tell you about how to apply them to your life. So you feel as if their advice is just smoke and mirrors.
If they don’t show you how to use platitudes, it’s no wonder why you didn’t get any value out of them. You can’t just say platitudes without thinking about their meaning. That’s why their words may ring hollow to you.
But you can get the value out of their platitudes. You just need to think about the advice and then apply it.
Platitudes are only effective when you think about the meaning of them. If you don’t think about them, then the platitude will feel boring and not helpful. It’ll feel like a waste of words.
Once you think about them, then you can take action. Oftentimes, this action will not be intentional. It’ll likely be your reaction to an event or circumstance.
How to apply platitudes to your life
Think of platitudes like a capsule pill.
There’s a protective outer shell on the capsule. This is the platitude itself. The short statement. On the inside of the capsule is the powder or pellets… the medicine. This is the actual meaning of the platitude… The lesson the platitude conveys.
You have to ingest the capsule to absorb the medicine. The same concept applies to platitudes. You have to “ingest” the platitude to gain wisdom from it. You need to think about the meaning of the platitude. In other words, what lesson is the platitude trying to teach you?
Once you see this connection, platitudes will make sense. They are powerful bits of wisdom packed into a single sentence or two.
Think about the platitudes while meditating, walking, journaling, and so on. Your mind will unpack the ideas, giving you the meaning of them. The mind works wonders when you let it do its thing.
When a situation arises, step back and think “What is my best response to this?” Oftentimes, the lessons you learn from a platitude will come in handy.
Going back to the “Rome wasn’t built in a day” example, it takes time to learn things. Be patient with yourself reframing how you view platitudes. You may not be able to grasp the meaning or applicability of the platitude the first time but keep trying.
Keep platitudes in mind… you’ll discover how beneficial they are after you apply them to a life situation that pops up.
Wrapping up
Platitudes are an effective tool for self-improvement.
They are looked down upon because people don’t think about them. People say them without care. And so, the platitudes “lose” their effectiveness with each person who mindlessly says them.
But if you think about them, platitudes are incredibly valuable.
They are big, ancient lessons packed into a single phrase.
Platitudes pack a powerful punch.
But they only pack a punch if you use the wisdom.
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