Thought creates our world, and then says “I didn’t do it”
- David Bohm
I’m running a series of Mindset Workshops at work as part of a wider Culture & Engagement workstream.
When I pitched the workshops to one of the department MDs, here’s what I said:
(lifted
straight from the email I sent him)
Colleagues will always view actions (and the output of these actions) through the lens of their mindset, just like someone who wears yellow-tinted glasses will see everything in the world shaded yellow.
So if you want to change or improve culture, in my opinion mindset needs to come before actions.
He agreed. And I’m now five weeks into a ten week series of workshops.
Anyway,
here’s why I bring this up:
Replace “Mindset” with “Thought” and the same idea holds true.
Every person on the planet views life through the lens of the thoughts they’re having and how they relate to those
thoughts.
Say, for example, you’re a stressed out banker. At times, you might start thinking about quitting and moving into a radically less stressful job. But the idea of quitting also feels stressful, radical and uncertain.
How do you solve this?
By understanding the role your thoughts are playing in this dilemma.
Say, for example, you’re an overthinker. You know you have an overactive "monkey mind" which
leads you down endless avenues of thought. And all you’d like is to calm the thoughts down, let them go, stop worrying and find some peace of mind.
How do you solve this?
By understanding more about the purpose of
thought.
Say you always feel at the mercy of other people or events to the extent that you’re being carried along on a never-ending conveyor belt and you desperately want to take back control of your own life.
How do
you solve this?
By understanding more about the “thought lens” through which you see this situation.
Say you increasingly feel that the life you’re living is not aligned to your genuine, authentic self. That you have
dreams and aspirations which haven’t made it into the world and that you’re not fulfilling your potential.
How do you solve this?
By understanding how your own thoughts might be getting in the way.
And so on, and on, and on.
Notice I say nothing about changing your thoughts, fixing your thoughts, finding better thoughts or having less thoughts.
I also say nothing about reframes, growth mindsets, affirmations or positive mental attitudes.
Nada.
None of these are necessary.
(in many cases, they’re actually counterproductive)
It’s understanding thought which makes the difference. Not “doing” thought or "fixing" thought.
Until you understand the role thought plays in your life, what thought is, where it comes from and how it creates the very fabric of the reality you live in, other actions are just tinkering at the edges.
That’s my thought for today anyway.
I wish I'd starting looking in this direction 15 years ago. I suspect my career and overall life would’ve had a lot more ease & flow to it if I'd understood more about the role thought was playing in every aspect of these.
But it is what it is.
I’m thankful I’ve found this at all and now get to share what I’ve learnt through my coaching.
If you’re thoughtful (!) about this and you’d like to find out more about my coaching:
https://waitinglist.followingfulfilment.com
- Tom