Do You Think What You Think You Think?
Several years ago, I came across a book with the same title as this article. When I spotted it on the shelf at the book shop, I did a double-take. I couldn’t resist. I had to take a peek. I got sucked into its fascinating content, and I had to buy it.
The book offers a philosophical health check. The methodology presents a list of intriguing statements to which you must agree or disagree. The statements are structured to test for any “tension” in your thinking.
I discovered that I had several tensions in my thinking. That is a polite way of saying that my thinking was inconsistent. I became irritated at the statements because I thought they were trying to trick me. On reflection, my irritation was misguided. It wasn’t the statements; it was me. It was my inconsistency that was irritating me.
Most people don’t care about the inconsistency in their thinking. Mostly, people are not even aware of their inconsistency. I am very conscious of being consistent in my thinking, but I often discover that I am not.
Being a consistent writer has helped me uncover my inconsistent thinking. Writing my thoughts on paper and presenting them to thousands of readers has been a sure-fire way to get feedback on my inconsistent thinking.
The problem with thinking is that it is primarily an internal process. It is a conversation that goes on in our heads.
Have you ever noticed yourself not completing a thought? Or thoughts arising and interrupting other thoughts. I like to think that I have some control over my thinking, but often that is not the case. Having a thinking process when you are problem-solving can be very helpful.
Here is a list of things to try when you have to think through a problem:
1. Don’t try and think it through late at night when you are tired. First thing in the morning is the best time.
2. Think with a partner. Think out aloud. Speak the words that you are thinking and complete your thoughts.
3. Trusting that your partner won’t belittle your thinking and holding what you say in confidence is essential. Choose the right person!
4. Try writing your thoughts about the problem and the potential solutions. Write as if someone else is going to read it. You will be forced not to take shortcuts in your thinking.
5. Once you have spoken or written the words, leave the problem for a while. Come back to it later, you will be surprised at your clarity when you see the problem the second time around.
Justin Spencer-Young
