by pressablealiassolutionscom
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Welcome to Insights and Implications!
Hello Everyone,
If this is your first time receiving our newseltter, welcome! Sent just once per month, each contains a short, practical story that illustrates insight principles. We hope these newsletters help to keep your learning fresh and insights flowing.
All the best,
All of us at Insight Principles
An Insight About Thought
Alan – a member of a senior team in a high-tech business – was not a “happy camper”. If you asked him why he was grumpy he would point to a host of factors – the disappointing way his children behaved, his “slacker” colleagues who rarely did what they said they would do, or even his dog. To Alan, people were the source of his bother. Circumstances and situations caused him upset.
Alan, bless his heart, was oblivious to the role of thought.
During our program Alan had a deep realization about the actual source of his upset– his own thinking. He saw the common factor in the distressing situations in his life – himself. This was a shock, and for about a day he sat quietly, soaking in this confronting realization. After reflection, Alan realized that if he didn’t want to be bothered all the time, it was between him and him. He saw that he, or more accurately, his thinking was the only thing disturbing him.
The change in Alan was dramatic. He settled down, the grumpy face disappeared, and he became curious. He reported that he still had some of the same habitual thoughts, but he was no longer fixating on them. He saw them as transient events that he could let float by to be replaced by other thoughts. Without much effort, he said, he was seeing things more clearly and getting perspective.
Yes, his kids were still untidy, but he also saw that they were young boys, and young boys are untidy sometimes. When he looked more deeply, he realized that his boys were good kids – honest and mostly well intentioned. He wanted them to be neater because he thought neatness was a worthwhile quality, and he wondered about new approaches that might help him communicate this concept to his kids more effectively. He definitely didn’t want to worry about it, but as he explored more creative ways to connect, he was hit with some new ideas.
Amazingly, Alan’s shift translated immediately into increased group effectiveness. Prior to the insight, Alan was the negative guy who frequently objected. After his insight, he transformed. He became quiet and thoughtful, yet not shy about jumping in with useful contributions. On several occasions, we observed Alan listening deeply to the group discussion. After listening, he shared his insights and often came up with a better course of action. He went from being a lead weight to a highly effective compass for the group.
When people see that reality is created from the inside-out via thought, their minds automatically clear. They see the true source of experience, and the blaming of outside factors stops. With a clear mind, we naturally listen better, have perspective, and contribute wisely.
That’s the power of understanding the role of thought.
©Insight Principles, Inc.