Thoughts are important. But not all thoughts are equal. The quality of your thoughts matters the most. Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius said it best “The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.”
A quick look at our surroundings shows us that life is changing faster than ever. Jobs disappear, smartphones turn you into a zombie, education costs you thousands, the cost of living increases rapidly, salaries don’t, you have less time for yourself, and so on. Life changes so fast that it seems like you wake up in a new world every day! What do your thoughts make of that If you’re anything like me, these developments cause a lot of thinking, aka worrying and uncertainty. How do I survive How do I adapt my business to changing markets How do I advance my career How do I not lose my mind Mastering your thoughts is challenging.
The desire to master our thoughts is as old as modern civilization. Ever since the fifth century BC, philosophers from all ages and regions agree on one thing The human mind is an instrument that solves problems. And many philosophers argue that the quality of your thoughts determine the quality of your life. From Confucius to
Socrates to Descartes to William James, they all talk about their method of thinking—a way to view the world. Most of us know the Socratic method of questioning everything, even yourself. “I know one thing That I know nothing,” is what Socrates famously told the Oracle of Delphi when Socrates was declared the wisest man on earth.
The fact that he thinks that he knows nothing makes him wise. That’s a way of thinking. French philosopher René Descartes, who lived in the 17th century, took it one step further. He questioned everything in life, even his own existence. Because how do you know you’re not dreaming or living in The Matrix That's why he famously said “Cogito ergo sum.” Popularly translated to, “I think, therefore I am.” Descartes concluded that he must exist because he’s able to think.
No matter how crazy your thoughts are, it’s safe to say that you do exist. So why not make your existence a little more practical, light-hearted, fun, and useful Have you ever observed or written down your thoughts I challenge you, try it for a day. Every two hours or so, sit down and write about what you’re thinking at that very moment. Just don’t get scared of yourself. Most of our thoughts make no sense at all. We’re conflicted as a species.
Descartes also reviewed his own thoughts and found many contradictions. His most important idea is that we should question the source of our beliefs, not the belief itself. Because most of our beliefs are based on our or other people’s perception.
How many of your ideas are based on what others have told you Or based on your first thoughts or assumptions At the core of thinking lies our ability to separate the truth from falsehood. What is true, what is false One way to look at that question is to take a pragmatic perspective.
William James describes the idea of pragmatism as follows “The attitude of looking away from first things, principles, 'categories,' supposed necessities; and of looking towards last things, fruits, consequences, facts.” Thoughts should serve a useful purpose. If they don’t, they’re useless. That’s straight thinking.
Pragmatism is a method of thinking, not a solution. In fact, all thinking is a method. Your thoughts serve as an instrument. But it’s a conflicting instrument that’s very hard to use. Henry Ford said it best “Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it.”
Thinking is not only hard—it’s the single most important thing in life. Remember The quality of our thoughts determines the quality of our lives. And our decisions are a result of our thoughts.
