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 17
th 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, lighthearted, 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.
great