The Time To Think Differently

Chapter 1 excerpt from The Power of Thinking Differently by Javy W. Galindo

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I am writing this book at a time when the talk of change is center stage. The US economy is faced with turmoil as a result of a failed mortgage system. Old ways and systems have brought Americans into a topsy-turvy world where money no longer seems safe in banks, where the economy is unstable, where our resources are stretched to the limits, and where the health of the environment is in question. The current government regime – rightly or wrongly — is often looked upon as being uncreative; making decisions based on archaic thought patterns and perspectives. On both sides of the political aisle, the predominant rallying cry revolves around messages of change.

However, many of our leaders tend to oversimplify problems and, as a result, oversimplify the solutions. Hence, in many problem problem-solving, whether it be politicians promising to solve nation-wide issues, community leaders addressing community issues, or CEOs faced with declining profits, solutions are often presented as easily understood declarative statements. They speak of what actions need to be taken, and how will or force can be applied to rectify our dilemmas. Perhaps if dress codes or curfews are enforced we can end gang violence. Sometimes we are told that the solutions to our problems depend on what we think, where our issues can be resolved by attaining new information. Perhaps we can cure high blood pressure by discovering new medications. The idea being that more or new information can make long-lasting change.

These remedies can often help suppress our suffering. They can sometimes alleviate the symptoms of our problems, at least temporarily, or until we encounter the same scenario again. Enforcing a dress code may help curb gang violence until gangs decide to evolve their attire, but it does not address the sociological and psychological conditions that foster it. Pills may help those with high blood pressure, but does not address the life-style that brought about this condition in the first place.

Solutions like these can be good band-aids. But the root of many of our issues is not what we think, but how we think. Our lives are not affected just by what information we are given, but how we process this information. It is only by changing how we think that we will be able to make long-lasting improvements.

How we think is how we perceive, process information, gain knowledge, solve problems, make decisions, and understand our surroundings. It is how we generate new ideas, discover new vaccines, create new paintings, and make new music. How we think affects how we write new books and create new recipes. How we think dictates the paths we choose to follow and the lives we choose to live. How we think is also how we get ourselves into messes in the first place.

Yet, it is often difficult to realize how we think. It is difficult to recognize our patterns of thought and behavior. And it is even harder to change them; especially the ones that are at the root of our dilemmas. It is much easier to take a new pill than it is to change an old way of perceiving and reacting to the world.

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