Why is it So Difficult to Take Your Own Advice…?

I listen to a lot of my friends problems, talking through them and coming up with viable solutions. With my interest in psychoanalysis I can see to some extent where problems stem from therefore helping to understand how to resolve them.

I use the same approach for myself; analysing the roots of my issues and recognising areas for change. Why doesn’t this approach ever seem to get me anywhere though? If I know the root of the problem and the solution, why do I keep going round in circles?

This conundrum has got me thinking about the mental states of similar thinkers. Are all psychoanalysts suffering from the same feeling that their worlds are spinning out of control? And does that mean that they are therefore not in any position to be helping anyone else with their problems?

The only conclusion I can draw from this is the fact that trying to deal with my own problems myself is counterproductive. That exploring personal issues internally, from my own viewpoint is doing me no good whatsoever therefore completely nullifying my attempts to “know oneself.”

Back to square one for me it seems…yet again.