I think I found my answer!

How's this:
All the praise or negative criticism that you get from people doesn't mean anything, it's the way you feel about yourself that matters. People can shower praises upon you every day, and you can still feel like you're not good enough. Conversely, people may criticise everything you do, but if you feel like a winner inside, then what do the words of the other people matter?

And I think feeling like you're on the top can be a little counter-productive, anyway. When you think you're at the top of the hill, you enjoy the scenery there. You don't look higher, aspire to fly. But at the bottom or middle of the hill, there's still a hill to climb. There are two directions you can go if you want to move anyplace, and chances are you're going to want to keep going up.

Hm.
But this analogy doesn't seem to include the people that are encouraged by praise to climb higher. I'll be.

Maybe it's a certain kind of praise that is counter-productive.

"You're perfect just the way you are!/You're the best, man!/You're amazing!/ I wish I were like you/ Nobody can outdo you!/You're at the top of your game!"
vs
"You almost got him, man!/Just one more lap, you can do it!/You could do greater things, span wider horizons!/You've got the potential!/You've done all this, who knows what'll come next for you!"

Yeah, you probably see the difference. Once puts the praise-ee at the top of the hill, while the other puts the praise-ee in the middle of the hill, with a journey to continue.

Ah, you might say. But what if the hill has no peak? What if it is a hill that rises forever, past the cosmos and the heavens? What if the praise is just to tell the climber that they have travelled well up their path, and that they should feel good about it?
But what's the use in that? (and hey, what if the top of the hill happens when they think it's happened? A hallucination caused by giving in to all that praise)
Not sure... encouragement? Yeah, encouragement. To encourage them to go further, not to convince them that where they are is good enough.
In the hopes that what?
... dunno.
<_<
>_>




(I'm thinking of doing a banner. I thiiink I know how.)



-Zan