Power of abstract thinking

Monday ramblings.

Abstract thinking opens up dimensions of life that we conventionally would not have learnt or thought about. In a fast moving professional world, to entertain the idea of "calming down to move fast" is one example. To recognize that "calming down" is not same as "slowing down" is another example. Each subtle difference opens a higher dimension of awareness that makes it possible to explore unconventional solutions to log jam problems.

In a professional or family setting, we are often disappointed when situations don't manifest according to our expectations. It pays to remind ourselves that "everyone is doing their best" in ways known to them. Every unfavorable situation is a moment of truth. Is it a reflection of something about ourselves. Situations that manifest in our lives are created by the power of our own thoughts that are entrenched in our subjective minds. What we think, we become. When we have counter-productive colleagues, we need to remind ourselves that we, by our own thinking, are attracting that behavior into our lives. Once we are able to intercept and analyze our deep seated emotions, we have a window to recreate realities. None of this is intuitive. On the contrary, it is easy to dismiss this as some mumbo-jumbo touted by self styled life coaches.

Dismissing/resisting anything without authentically trying is a habit in many, including myself. If we become aware and give this alternate hypothesis a chance, it could be a first step in abstract thinking. Interestingly, once we apply this at a personal level, using it to solve complex business problem seems a lot easier. For interested readers, i recommend the series on Mental science by Thomas Troward.