Direct vs. On Automatic Thinking
Can you tell the difference?
Goal: To discuss deliberate vs. on automatic thinking
I love this picture. What pulled me in and eventually got me to choose it is that it symbolizes a person walking into a maze. Notice that they can get stuck in this maze BUT can also clearly just step over the stones. Also notice how calm is the sea. To me it symbolizes a calm place that we can always go to.
So what is the point?
In 2005, the National Science Foundation published an article about thoughts. The article showed that the average person has between 12,000 and 60,000 thoughts per day. Of those thoughts, 80% are negative and 95% are exactly the same repetitive thoughts as the day before.”
Let us break that up.
Suppose you are the serious thinker at 60000. That would mean that 48000 of those thoughts are negative and roughly 57,000 are the same thoughts. So not only are majority of of our thoughts the same BUT they are mostly negative.
I believe that these are our “on automatic” thoughts. They are so engrained in us that we don’t even think about them. Somewhere along the way we learn or are exposed to something negative and we create a protection mechanism that keeps playing out in our minds daily.
So how do we stop it?
We have to be more deliberate in our thinking. We have to become present and aware of these thoughts and as soon as they pop their heads up — WHACK WHACK THEM DOWN!!!!
How?
Imagine teaching yourself to write with the opposite hand. I did when I was very young and today I am ambidextrous. Today I can even write with both hands at the same time.
When you force yourself to do something that is initially not natural, it is uncomfortable. It is foreign. It creates new patterns in your brain. Your brain gets jolted out of the “on automatic” pattern and has to focus in order for you to improve.
You are in a sense telling your brain to THINK THIS… NOT THAT!!! It does not like it and it will push back. BUT guess what? Eventually it will become natural and automatic. Everything becomes easier with repeated purposeful practice.
Why do this?
We all have limiting beliefs about ourselves. This is the only way to break those beliefs. Instead of the limiting belief think an empowering one.
It all starts with asking yourself, “What is my limiting belief?” It could be financial loss, relationship loss, etc..
Pick the one that is the most personal one, X, and you believe you spend most time thinking about it. Then ask yourself these three questions:
- What has this limiting belief cost me in my past to think X?
- What is it costing me this present moment to think X?
- What will it cost me in the future to continue to think this way about X?
I hope you do this out loud. Once you hear your own answers PAUSE to process the information. And then ask yourself:
What will be an empowering alternative to X?
Next time you notice your default thinking, you have to force yourself to think deliberate the alternative empowering belief. This has to be done possibly for the rest of your life. You must do this mind reset until it become your automatic.
Remember that there is the person who we are and then there is therson who we think we are. Unfortunately, we often convince ourselves that we are better off with the devil we know.
The devil that the job we aren’t crazy about is good enough.
The relationship with the wrong person that stunts us.
The food choice that is convenient and not healthy for us.
These are the thoughts that weaken us because they provide a path of least resistance.
THINK THAT..instead of… THINK THIS
Remember that it is costing you to continue believing X.
My seven cents….(this is what I earned from Medium.com for Nov. 2020)
I got to go…my future self alarm went off
Robert Trajkovski is professional with experience in leading people and projects in Steel/ Power, Refining, Chemicals, Industrial Gasses, Software, Consulting and Academia. He has worked for both owners and engineering companies. In addition, he has instructed 73+ courses at several institutions and often offers his courses for free on LinkedIn.
