In our last announcement, we introduced the Practitioner's Path 2.0, the Guild of the ROSE's new framework for bringing structure and progression to your self improvement efforts. The Path is divided into three parts — Attributes, Tasks, and Skills. We also mentioned that the Skilltree is further divided into three archetypes: Pragmatist, Meditative, and Empiricist.

Today, we'll be doing a deep dive into the Pragmatist area of the Skilltree.

Life is a game, and the Pragmatist plays to win. Each Pragmatist defines 'winning' differently — one person might want to change the world, another might want to achieve financial independence, and a third might want to become filthy rich. What unites Pragmatists is the lens they use to evaluate new ideas: is this useful? They take what works and discard the rest.

In the Pragmatist tree, you'll find Skills focused on:

• Making money
• Expanding your social network
• Directly improving your life

Pragmatists want to cut through the fluff and get to the heart of the matter. Problems exist to be solved — and they will be solved, at least if the Pragmatist has any say.

Some people might call them selfish, greedy, or hedonistic, but Pragmatists know that sacrificing yourself for others doesn't help anyone. Money is just power, and power is morally neutral — it's what they do with it that counts. And if they've put in the work to climb the ladder, isn't it only fair that they reap the rewards?

Introductory Skill Examples

The Archetypal Pragmatist

Paul Coren was once just another failed entrepreneur buried beneath a mountain of debt. Now, ten years later, he's a max-level Pragmatist with a net worth in the tens of millions.

At work, Paul meets with clients and investors for his startup, Synthica. His schedule has been polished to a flawless finish, with just enough downtime to ensure he never burns out. Like its founder, his company hums along, an efficient engine that produces a steady revenue stream. Paul reinvests most of the money in the company, but if it weren't for the grand ambition burning in his mind, he could retire today and live a wealthy life.

At night, Paul spends time with a carefully curated circle of friends. One night he's networking with the local mayor, the next he's hosting a dinner party with half a dozen lobbyists at his well-appointed home. He knows his friends only like him because of his money, but he tells himself that's just how the game is played.

The Practitioner's Path 2.0 launches early in March. In the meantime, what do you think of the Pragmatist archetype? Does it resonate with you? Let us know in the comments below!

P.S. If you found Paul Coren a bit one-dimensional, don't worry. Real people tend to combine attributes from multiple trees, and we'll be going over the Meditative tree next week.