User blog:PyroNacht/Defining True Growth

''Hi everybody! Today, I wanted to write a blog regarding the definition of true growth- particularly in FANDOM users. Over time, I've seen many individuals grow and evolve into fine users, and I figured now would be a good time to address what I consider "true growth".''

Growing Up vs. Growing Strong

 * When I was in elementary school, people would often associate the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" as a concrete concept. The kids- or at least, I did- didn't really know what it meant to "grow up", but that it would happen one day. One day, you would wake up as a grown adult and fully know what you want to be; a misleading conclusion at that.


 * You never really grow up. You will never wake up one morning and be like "oh! I know exactly what I'm supposed to be!". I prefer utilizing the term "growing strong/mature/older", because it doesn't have such a confusing connotation to it.


 * How is this relevant to the blog though, you might ask?

FANDOM Growth

 * People don't just evolve as a result of passive behavior in their life. 98% of the people I have met have ended up learning and intellectually growing as a result of mistakes they have made. This is no coincidence, but rather a simple observation of a natural pattern in people. I find that those who actively ask questions and occasionally make small errors here on FANDOM are more bound to develop more of a learning curve as opposed to those who sit in the corner and disregard any opportunities.

My Story

 * I figured I'd give a small summary of my growth on FANDOM, particularly because my story has several ups and downs to it- as any story should.


 * I joined FANDOM on my home Wiki in May 2012. Due to the circumstances of which I joined (which I will not elaborate on here), I was a rather feisty and troublesome user. Right from the get-go, I was a half-decent editor, yes, but it was my brash, stubborn tactics that led others to doubt my abilities to maintain a good atmosphere on the Wiki.


 * When I discovered Community Central in September 2012- it was the second Wiki I ever ventured on, because I wasn't the type of person to freely browse different Wikis- I was stunned by the sheer rule differences. I quickly picked up on the fact that while my home Wiki readily denied linking and promoting other Wikis due to the professional nature, Community Central welcomed such within reason.


 * I learned how to grow as a FANDOM member not just by comparison in context, but also by making mistakes. Even though some of those mistakes might not be wise to make willy-nilly, I was able to mature as a result of my flaws.

How Can You Grow?

 * There is always room for somebody to grow. Every single day I log onto this website, I learn something different. I might not identify what I learned straight away, but the important tip to remember is that nobody knows everything. Even the most veteran of FANDOM users have something to learn from the newer users.


 * The point is, we all start somewhere. We all started FANDOM in different ways- some of us made severe errors, others of us sat quietly until we grew comfortable. The main idea is to not lose that desire for knowledge and ability to enhance your maturity.

Conclusion

 * Nobody is so above another that they're unable to further their growth. :)