Two Types Of Thinking
Brian Ford
Using personal development to fundraise for charity | Behavior Change & Life Systems Coach (20+ million podcast downloads) | Social Impact Leader (Founder of For Purpose Foundation)
Daniel Kahneman popularized the idea that there are two ways of thinking - Fast thinking and slow thinking. “Thinking Fast” refers to the most primitive elements of our brain that is reflexive, hyper-attentive, and unconscious. “Thinking Slow” refers to the more advanced, developed, higher-level thinking we engage in on a daily basis.?
The majority of the time our mind’s are operating out of fast thinking as a means to react to what’s around us and keep us safe. It’s only when that seems to be insufficient or incomplete that the mind enrolls more advanced thought to figure things out.
I had a basic, everyday, personal example of this earlier this week. I’m visiting family right now, staying away from home, and couldn’t find my water bottle. Unconsciously I looked in all the usual spots - by the bed, on the couch, at the desk -and couldn't find it anywhere. I even checked those same spots 3 times in a row, operating out of automatic, fast-thinking that was taking me unconsciously to the places it was most likely to be.
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When all of that failed, my mind switched to slow thinking. I thought back to the last time I had it, retraced steps in my mind, and considered other places the bottle could have ended up. This prompted me to check the dishwasher, where I found it because someone else had put it there and washed it overnight.?
It was a powerful example of how the mind runs through two different types of thinking, and the threshold a problem needs to reach to trigger conscious thought. However, conscious thought is always available to us should we want to use it, and it’s by being more intentional about activating it that we can be more thoughtful.
So the takeaway here is - let's make a point to slow down more often for the things that are important to us. Our lives change when our thoughts change, and replacing the unconscious pattern with conscious thought has the potential to change everything.?
Helping high achievers tame the stress that's come with success, using yoga therapy, breath work, meditation. I help you feel better fast, and learn how to make it last.
3 周Of course we need that knee jerk human reaction to take quick decisive action during emergencies, where seconds can determine a life or death outcome. But as you make clear here Brian, during our day to day problem solving, a more thoughtful approach often serves us better in meeting our goals. The power of the pause - taking a moment to consider other options, different perspectives, alternative approaches helps me bring my “full brain” power on board for most day to day problems I have to solve. And it tends to help me make much better decisions, and feel less stressed too. I’m a fan of slow thinking. ??
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3 周Beautiful ?? great stuff Brian… I sometimes use the idea of shifting gears mentally from high gear to low gear., or to gear down a notch when I find my mind flow is too fast or inappropriate for the situation… In general, for me anyway, the slower my mindflow, the better decisions I make ??????