The Thinking Mind

                                                       The Thinking Mind

 “Successful people have the habit of doing things that the failed don’t like to do. Not because they like it, but because they have a purpose.”

Count to ten before you respond. The very act of stopping to think improves the quality of ultimate response. It is a quality of wealthy people.

Reason

Our immediate response (without thinking) is habitual and habits may be detrimental to our success. So it is important to take a pause before deciding. This space should be filled by thinking- pondering over the circumstances, reasons and consequences. This is called good thinking. Good thinking must be learned and practiced. It is called hard work.

Good thinking is further divided into slow thinking and fast thinking. Both are necessary. Both have their right times. Slow thinking is when you take time to think things through. Fast thinking is when you take a decision quickly because you haven’t thought much about it.

Slow thinking should be practiced where it is required- in making important and long-term decisions. Ask yourself, “How do I know this is true?” never use fast thinking while making long-term decisions- give yourself enough time for it.

 I.e. decisions about courses you take in universities, career path you take, person you marry, how you earn, invest, save money all require slow thinking.

Before you take any decision, ask yourself, “Does this situation require long-term and short-term thinking?”

Write down details.

For any decision or problem, write down its every detail-What is it and how to solve it? The solution becomes clear to you.

Do you even know what the right way of thinking is? You can’t think randomly, can you? That would be stupid and you won’t reach at a conclusion. Thinking strategically is the right way to think. You should think slowly, carefully, step-by-step considering the likely consequences of every action.

 

‘GOSPA’ MODLE

This model will help you think slowly and with greater precision.

1)      Goals: Should be specific, measurable, time-bound and achievable.

2)      Objectives: they are the interim goals like the rungs of a ladder.

3)      Strategies: Various ways to achieve each objective

4)      Priorities: Decide the most important activities and do them first. Fact is 20% of your activities or efforts determine 80% of your result.

5)      Action: Take steps to implement your strategy and achieve your goals.

 

Law of Probability

It is a very important law to understand. Success is a matter of probability.

“There is a probability that everything can happen.”

If you do more of the things that successful people and organizations do, you increase your probability of success. Between stimulus and a response, there is a gap. This gap should be filled by good thinking.  And by applying the GOSPA model.

 

Informed vs. Uninformed thinking

These are another two types of thinking. “Due Diligence” is a popular word among experienced businessmen. Why? Due diligence means taking time to gather all critical info you need to make the right decision- the best decision by acquiring all knowledge of issue before acting.

Get Real Facts-not Obvious, assumed or hoped-of facts.

Whenever you get a good idea-Validate it. Gather proof to ensure it is really good. This includes:

Seek advice from those in same situation.

Hire an expert (specialized in that area)

Google important key words

Gather opinions from people in your field

 

Use Scientific Method

1)      Create a hypothesis- a yet-to-be-proven theory: Then find ways to prove that your hypothesis is wrong. If you can’t find any then that means that your hypothesis is true. This is the scientist approach. Don’t only look for positive sides only. Look for the negative as well. It’s better to be right than to be happy. So weigh all the pro and cons first.

 

Experienced Thinking

Experienced people have this mode of thinking because they have developed pattern recognition for every situation. They identify patterns that can lead to either success or failure. So taking advice from an expert is recommended. Experts can rapidly assess a complex situation and come to a solution.

 

RULE #1 in life: Don’t Lose Money

Try to make fewest possible financial mistakes..

RULE# 2 in life: never stop gathering Info

Do this until you become better informed than anyone else in those areas of life most important to you? So, continually gather info, compare ideas, remain skeptical and proceed slowly towards your decision.

 

 

Goal-Oriented thinking and Reaction-Oriented thinking

What is success? Success is goals. So learn how to set and achieve those goals

RULE #3 Don’t Lose Time

“The person without goals makes no progress even on the smoothest roads.”

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.

Goals are the best antidote to fuzzy thinking. Goals are superior thinking because they bring clarity, focus and concentration. One of the greatest success secret is that don’t worry about factors outside your controls. Change is inevitable. Nothing is permanent. Everything will keep on changing. So your job is to be flexible-adapt yourself to the changes by being clear on your goals. Think on paper. The very act of writing down increases the probability of you achieving it.

Ask Quality Questions

What do you really, really, really want? Ask this question to yourself repeatedly overtime. Don’t be satisfied with the first answer-keep asking. You’ll be satisfied with what you eventually come up with.

What do you really value? What are your principle, morals, virtue?

TASK#

What are your 3 most important goals? Write your answers in 30 seconds or less.

What are your feelings of importance? What activities give you feelings of self-esteem/ what do you do especially well? What one great yet realistic goal would you dare to set if you knew you couldn’t fail?

LAW OF CAUSE & EFFECT

If you do what others do (cause), you’ll get the same results (effect).

You become what you think most of the time, so become a goal-focused person