|
|
|
Break the [wounds +
unawareness] cycle and guard your descendents |
|
|
Four Keys to
Effective Thinking
- p.
2 of 3
Reduce confusion, mistakes, and frustration!
By
Peter K. Gerlach, MSW |
 The Web address of this
3-page article is
http://sfhelp.org/02/think1.htm
This is the second of three pages about your options
for spotting ineffective thinking and improving it over time. Doing so
will improve the effectiveness of your communication and problem solving,
your rela-tionships, and your family serenity and
enjoyment. The first page is an inventory you can
use to "interview yourself" (and others) to learn about
what you think and believe about your own thinking now.
This and the next page explore (a) common causes of ineffective
thinking, and (b) some practical options you
have to intentionally avoid and correct them. Do you believe you can do this?
 What
Causes Ineffective Thinking?
|
Recall: effective thinking (a) makes accurate "sense" out of current
inner and outer events, (b) defines and prioritizes current primary needs,
and (c) evolves safe, healthy, effective ways to fill current and long-term
needs well enough. Ineffective
thinking hinders one or more of these related goals. Do you need to
edit these definitions? |
Except for brain malfunctions, ineffective thinking is caused by factors like these...
-
A
personality governed by fractious, disorganized
(a "false
self"). This is like a committee meeting where everyone talks at
once, no one hears well, and effective group processing is sporadic at
best. The solution for this is
steady commitment to some version of
-
Emotional and physical
and/or
unawareness of our outer environments. This is
like a radio with no antenna. Over time, we grow numb to our numbness. Chronic
emotional numbness ("I don't know what I feel or need now") is a common symptom of
significant
And typical
ineffective thinkers are ...
-
of their inner
process
that
translates current mental, emotional, and physical signals into
"understanding" and current
This is
like not
being aware of our breathing and social eye-contact habits. Another
cause of ineffective thinking is...
-
A lack of knowledge
of at least four key things:
-
How disorganized, leaderless personality subselves (dominant
affect
perceptions, reactions, and
behaviors - including inner and interpersonal communication;
-
What's possible.
Most ineffective thinkers don't know what they're missing and their
options for improvement (e.g. those summarized
below); and ...
-
An adequate vocabulary
to accurately describe the sensations we get from our minds and body.
Having a small vocabulary is like trying to paint a fine portrait
with a broom. Do you know anyone who is consciously working at
increasing their vocabulary?;
and ignorance of...
-
The
communication
basics and
which empower anyone to
(a) define problems (needs) and alternatives clearly, and then (b) act to fill current needs effectively.
In other words, typical ineffective thinkers don't know they don't know the vital information that comprises
here
and its
Two more factors that
promote widespread ineffective thinking are ...
-
Social disinterest and
constant distraction. Our high-stimulus, warp-speed culture is used to unawareness and
ineffective thinking, and promotes it by ignoring it. Because of the factors above
and lack of public demand,
the people controlling our media and educational systems
and programs don't focus on "effective thinking." Some
business leaders do to raise their profits.
The
ceaseless sensory stimulation our culture
bombards us with promotes personal and social numbness and
"information overload." Our
high-tech Information-Age flood of data, images, and sounds constantly distracts us from
growing the habit of quiet, focused
and clear
thinking. Does this happen to you?
Reality check: can you recall a recent radio or TV program,
print or Web article, billboard, local school program or course that focuses on how
to think effectively? In all the years of education you've had,
did you ever focus on this subject?
Does it seem credible that these five factors combine to powerfully hinder you and the people you care most
about from thinking about thinking, and improving yours?
|
You can choose to benefit from more effective thinking if you want to. Doing
so
requires you to want to change your
life priorities: "I want clearer thinking more than mental/emotional
stimulation." Start by becoming
of your
inner process and your options. |
What are your
saying
now? What are you feeling? Do you know which of your diligent, talented
are causing your thoughts?
Once you understand what causes ineffective thinking, you can choose up
to...
Four
Ways to Improve Your
Thinking
This non-profit Web site aims to help visitors want to create
relationships among
your (a) subselves and (b) key people. Can you name a more powerful way to enjoy
healthier relationships than learning how to
think and problem-solve more effectively? You really can do this if you
want
to! As you do, you can teach your kids and interested others to
do the same...
You can transform unawareness and ignorance into effective thinking
by ...
Getting to
know
the unique inner
family of
that causes
your thoughts. Meeting, harmonizing, and helping them to
use the seven Project-2
to communicate
more effectively will
cut your inner uproar and confusion and sharpen
your thinking. This will help you to...
Replace
chronic
with (physical + mental + emotional +
awareness. One of many benefits: you can become better
able to decide when society's barrage of
stimulations becomes too much, so you can shut out the din, get
quiet, focus, and notice what's going on inside of
you.
Wanting
to do this is essential for growing the essential skill of
And
you can...
Choose to become aware of how your subselves...
Learn how your
dominant subselves perceive and translate sensory
information (sights, sounds, smells, tastes, behaviors,...) into current
Then seek ways to improve
their translation process over time. To do that, you'll need to want
to ...
Patiently
learn (a) a bigger vocabulary,
(b) communication basics, (c) how to
-
what
you (your governing subselves)
now,
-
what your current options are for
filling those needs,
and
-
these topics.
Premise - the degree
that your most active subselves value
each of these factors greatly affects the
effectiveness of your thinking.
Pause, breathe, and become
of your current
focus, thoughts and feelings. Which subselves are "speaking"?
First
Steps...
|
Until your Self consistently
your other
subselves ("runs your life"), you may often think ineffectively and
not know it. So the first step toward clearer
thinking is to
yourself for signif-icant
If you find you're controlled by a well-meaning, disorganized
false self too often,
use co-parent
to
your
Self to lead and harmonize your inner family. The guide-book for this vital project is
Who's Really Running Your Life? |
Quick test: if a protective false self runs your life now,
those well-meaning subselves will probably cause reactions like these:
-
defocusing and/or distracting you
("What shall we eat tonight?"),
-
"forgetting" what you
just read; and/or...
-
making it seem "incomprehensible."
Subselves who distrust your Self
to lead are apt to cause
persuasive thoughts like...
"Ah, bunk! New Age garbage,"
"I can't do that, "
"I have too many other
responsibilities, "
"Too much work - I'm OK enough as I
am," or
"If I investigate my inner family, something really
bad will happen!", etc.
False selves aim to survive, so they're ceaselessly vigilant. Because
your
and
subselves often lack
knowledge and have
views of
reality
and short-range, unwise priorities, they often view
(core
attitude)
life changes with anxiety and distrust.
Commonly, some subselves to
seek useful change, and others to resist it - producing "ambivalence,"
"confusion," and
(Do you relate?) This is why many people repeatedly make ineffective
first-order (superficial) changes ("Nuts! I've regained my 20 pounds,
and added four more!"), until they
their true Self to
guide their other subselves in calm times and crises.
 Finish this three-page article by reviewing 11
options for raising the effectiveness of your thinking and filling
more primary needs more often. Do you need a break before
continuing?
<< Prior page / Add to favorites
/ Print page
/ Email
the address of this article >>
home
/ site overview
/
directory /
site map
/
Q&A /
/
solutions
/
site search
/
glossary
research /
free course /
guidebooks
/
NEW
forums /
resources / feedback
and/or subscribe / *
Updated
December 24, 2008
|