You know I use neuroscience as one of my primary filters.

You know I use neuroscience as one of my primary filters. It’s not all encompassing or free of error because well I’m human. I do find it incredibly useful for exploring territory that would typically go unexplored.

That more explored territory helps create more clarity which in turn leads to more effective action in the world.

I’m writing about how to think because there is a really important distinction that needs to be made. We think, but more often we are thought.

Thinking is hard. It almost always pushes up against our own fears, ignorance and limitations and getting close to those boarders requires a lot of energy and wrestling with ourselves. As a result we mostly don’t do it.

Being thought (for want of a better way of putting it) is what our brains automatically do. Then fatally we mistake it for thinking.

What do you think about mobile phones?

What do you think about sugar?

What do you think about Donald Trump?

How do you lose weight?

The brain produces information. Things you have read or heard that stuck. Ones that didn’t create any resistance in you. Ones that slipped through your belief filters.

This isn’t to say you’ll share them. But you might. You might throw them out and see how they land. Maybe they land well so you keep it. Maybe you even defend it if someone challenges it. Maybe you defend it like it is a part of you that they are trying to take away. You defend it with strong rational arguments because you’re skilled at defending any position. The one you hold or even the complete opposite. It then becomes a part of you, even though you didn’t create it.

This tendency to be thought and then defend it as if it’s our own makes us feel ungrounded, like impostors. Which drives us to become tribal.

We surround ourselves with those who parrot the same propaganda. We push away those who parrot other propaganda and we ingrain the arguments for our position and against theirs.

It’s important to note that this just happens. It’s a natural result of owning a brain that is wired for physical and social survival within a tribe.

What it does though is drive us to become weak mentally. We stop questioning decisions in meetings, we reach agreement too quickly. Our world shrinks and we experience brain atrophy. People start to know our position before we speak.

There are many ways to think of course. To explore what you believe, why you believe it, what evidence you have to support it, how your belief serves you, how it harms you, your experience of its practical application.

The deeper you take this exploration of your thoughts the more grounded and confident you become in who you are. The more neural connections you form. The stronger you become mentally. In an uncertain world you become certain in yourself.

This self certainty allows you to invite diversity and complexity. Your world expands and you feel and become substantial as you start to share what you truly believe about life, the universe and everything.

I share this with you because we are thought rather than thinking most of the time. The people around us, in our businesses are mostly being thought to some extent.

Because of this we must arm ourselves with tools and practice using them.

“I don’t know.”

“I haven’t given that enough thought to share any ideas yet.”

“I don’t have enough information to comment.”

“How did you arrive at that conclusion?”

“What is the opposing argument?”

“Could you say more?”

“Why do you think that?”

“Could you be more precise?”

“Are you willing to change that position if presented with new information?”

Those ideas that aren’t our own come without foundation despite often being delivered with conviction, (a tool we often use to make challenge less likely) they fold under questioning.

As we expose ourselves to that questioning and provide the same service to those around us the world becomes easier to navigate. We stop pretending and we invite those around us to do the same.

We and our world become authentic.

I hope you enjoyed reading.

Happy New Year