The power of thinking

Last months blog post was on the power of positive thought. I would prefer to just take this time to talk about the amazing God-given process of thinking. We may all agree that we're living in a very busy world and most will recognize that thinking too much is just wasting time.

When do you ever get the opportunity to just think? this is not daydreaming, this is thinking, this should require concentration and devotion. When you attempt to think it's actually more difficult than one would have first thought.

We have a continuous connectivity to information with the availability of phones, tablets and laptops. With cheaper and affordable connections to the internet, it is now surely a required human need to have access. But should it be? In July 2016 the united nations cemented the idea that "online freedom is a human right". The internet provides us with so many opportunities that we could have only dreamed of when Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented the world wide web in 1989 and numerous of people have become very successful because of it. But, so many more people spend too much time on the internet probably without knowing, making others money. Hours upon hours are spent on social media, YouTube and just generalised searching for unnecessary material. This time could be used more wisely, this time could be used to just think, yes just to think. 

How difficult will it be for you too just go to a personal quiet space without any distractions? No phones, tablets or laptops; no access to the internet and just sit/lay down and think. Many of the most successful people in history did this, they just had time to just think. Being creative is one of greatest tools that we all have access too and the reality is that most of us are not giving ourselves the opportunity to be original.

We need to train our minds to allow us to just take some of our precious time and use it to think. We will also look at ways where you're already thinking and yes sometimes to have a laptop in front of you doesn't always mean you're not being creative. Some of today's modern ideas are conceived while sitting in front of a laptop; however, far more of our time is used to browse for hours without getting anything productive done, sadly. 

Here are 5 points to remember when you're just taking a moment to think. 

Don't be afraid to just reflect

Even if just for 5 minutes, make yourself a beverage; go to a place where you know there will be minimal distractions (including from other people). It's ok to have others around you, just as long they're not distracting your cherished time. Think, reflect and focus on something which you're working on; a blog post, an assignment, a project, anything. Just let your mind be creative. All ideas we get from the internet initially came from a mind or two. Which this brings us to our next category. 

Two minds are better than one

We have just mentioned that you don't really need people around you when you're thinking. But this is if they're distracting to your thought process. If you're working on a project with someone, sharing thoughts with each other will be even more beneficial than if you were just by yourself, two minds are better than one. 

Always be positive

last months blog post as mentioned earlier was on the power of positive thought. I don't think that I will ever stop mentioning how important it is to think positively. Whatever you're working on and thinking about, make sure you approach it with a positive mindset. What good will thinking negatively about it do? This does not include constructive criticism, this is sometimes needed to better your current situation.

Stop being negative

I can't begin to express just how bad it is too think negatively. A tiny amount of negativity could put a huge wall in the way of your thinking process. The thought of not being able to do something based upon doubt could seriously destroy a person willpower and this is no exaggeration. I've seen and been around negative people and it's hard to motivate someone who has a very negative mindset. So always make sure you stay positive, easily said than done, I know but still very possible to achieve. 
Tip: if you do have a negative thought pop into your mind, just put it into a bubble and watch it float away. This works for me. 

Thinking is not daydreaming

You're not daydreaming when you think. Daydreaming is letting your mind wander, you don't really have control over this. However, when we think, we're relating this reflection to something we're passionate about, something we desire and want to succeed at. It might be you seeking creativity for the assignment you're finishing or the vows you need to think of before your wedding day. This process takes energy, takes commitment and is different to daydreaming, so don't confuse the two. Most of us can slip off into a daydream however, not all of us have the patience to take a few moments away from information and just let our minds work it out. ​

Thinking is a process in which we don't do enough of. The reason I say this is because we spend way too much time letting others think for us, we need to balance this with letting our own minds be creative also. At Gogeteducated we take pride that we help our students make their own decisions, we give them the responsibility to think for themselves. This is vital to success not only in exams but in helping them to mature into our next generation.​