Ever have a goal that is just too damn hard? Job? Kids? Marriage? Here are some questions to aks yourself: What is my goal? What is my commitment? If your goal and your commitment do not align, revisit them. Once your commitment is aligned with your goal, next ask: Where are my thoughts not in… Continue reading It's Just Not Working
Category: Positive Thinking
On Bias and Hyperbole
Bertrand Russell, in his 1918 Mysticism and Logic and Other Essays (a free eBook), noted that a person who is inclined to believe in mysticism becomes favorable to any arguments supporting such beliefs: When the intensity of [mystic] emotional conviction subsides, a man who is in the habit of reasoning will search for logical grounds… Continue reading On Bias and Hyperbole
'The Power of Negative Thinking' Misses The Mark
It’s not surprising that a a New York Times piece entitled ‘The Power of Negative Thinking’ would be a litany of negations. What is surprising is how easily the fallacies of those negations are revealed. “Positive Thinking” is a widely misunderstood topic, and Oliver Burkman’s article reflects popular misconceptions. Oliver quickly dismisses a laundry list of positive thinking tools:
If You Don't Trust People…
From Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching: If you don’t trust the people, you make them untrustworthy. This speaks to the paradox of how our expectations of others bring out that quality in them. It is an offense to our ego! But this truth— when wielded properly— can be used to shape outcomes with others.
It Sounds Like You're Angry
In Suppressing Anger is Not a Spiritual Value I touched on my own personal history with anger. As children, we make up our minds about certain things, we internalize our assessments and carry them in to adulthood. You wouldn’t take advice from a 5 year old about much, but that is essentially what we do. In our… Continue reading It Sounds Like You're Angry
Because We've Always Done it This Way
There was a great story on the radio: A woman had been taught by her mom that the best way to cook a pot roast is to cut the end off before putting it in the pot. She was curious as to why, so she asked her mom. Her mom didn’t really know the answer,… Continue reading Because We've Always Done it This Way