On Thoughts and Thinking Better
For clearer thinking, think like the lioness
What does thinking better even mean?
The German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, explained it best in his book, The Gay Science:
“He is a thinker; that means, he knows how to make things simpler than they are.”
But this is not what most people associate with thinking better. It seems like everyone wants to make everything more complex.
As if keeping things simple is for dumb people. This is not true. The smartest people in the world are those who are the best at simplifying things.
Look at this quote, from Writing Down The Bones by Natalie Goldberg, about what writing is:
”Writing is the act of discovery.”
Can you explain it in any simpler way than that? I don’t think so. That’s why that quote is so damn good.
To think better, clear your mind of thoughts
Let’s go back to Nietzsche. Here’s what he said about thoughts:
“Thoughts are the shadows of our feelings-always darker, emptier, and simpler.”
“Thinking” is hard because our thoughts tend to be foggy, irrational, dark, and weird. It’s no wonder it’s difficult for most people to think better.
Look at it this way. Your goal is to think better because you want to simplify your life. You come up with an idea, and then you think about how to execute the idea.
It could be planning a vacation, starting a business, writing an article, you name it.
But then, you sit down and start thinking.
Oh no. Your thoughts block you.
You want to think, but the fog in your mind makes it impossible.
So, what’s the first step towards thinking better? Getting rid of the fog. You must find a way to clear things up so you don’t get stuck.
What I like about that Nietzsche quote is that it implies a very harsh truth about life. Our thoughts are the shadows of our feelings.
If you’re struggling with yourself and you’re not happy, your thoughts will be dark and irrational.
Fix yourself and meditate
Look, I wish I could tell you that doing a set of actions will clear up your thoughts. And then you can simplify everything.
Thinking doesn’t work that way.
There are no 10 steps to becoming a better thinker. There’s no protocol for getting your thoughts in order.
To clear up your thoughts, you must address your inner obstacles.
What’s something that’s weighing on you?
- Your job?
- Feeling lonely?
- A lack of self-confidence?
Address those things first.
I promise you the rest will follow by itself.
But there is one way you can find relief straight away! Meditation. The act of observing your thoughts makes them go away. This helps a lot in thinking better.
However, it will only be temporary. Meditation will not make your inner struggles disappear. Some think it does. I don’t think so.
To improve yourself and your life, you must do the work.
A calm mind is a sharp mind
Think of a lioness. She sits around on the prairie all day. But the moment she sees a prey, she switches to killer mode in the blink of an eye.
She goes in for the kill and then relaxes again.
This is how your mind should work on a day-to-day basis. You shouldn’t be constantly lost in thought. You shouldn’t be ruminating on those thoughts of yours.
RELAX!
Don’t be so on edge. Stop clenching your teeth. Life will unfold as it is whether you’re lost in thought or not.
Remember that your mind is a tool. Use it when you need it and don’t think about it for the rest of the time
If you can do that, you’re a better thinker than 99% of the population.
Thank you for reading!
