January 3rd, 2011 by rob white
It is shocking to find out how little we use our minds in fresh and new ways. Have you ever taken the time to notice how mechanical your thoughts can be? How often do you say, “I think…”, and what follows is not something that you’ve really thought in the moment, but rather it is something that you mechanically say in a situation like this?
Mechanical thinking is psychological slavery; it puts you behind emotional prison bars that do not allow you the freedom to try something new in your life. How are you to begin a new business, how are you to make new friends, how are you to explore new adventures or come up with new ways of making money if you always think mechanically?
Illuminating tip = Mechanical thinking begets a mechanical life.
You are a creative genius, here to thrive. Thriving is feeling fully alive! You are not here to mechanically react to life and barely survive!
When we think mechanically, we are listening to inward self-talk that is echoing thoughts from our past. Here is an excellent example of the insanity of mechanical thinking; you will find the following story in the little orange book on ROAR-ing that will be available soon:
Imagine walking by a hospital, and an ambulance siren begins screaming. You notice the medics rushing to the ambulance, and you ask, “What’s going on?” A medic shouts, “We’re reacting to an accident that happened thirty years ago.” Can you see the insanity? Yet, you react to sirens of the past whenever you respond to a situation now like you did back then. The past is over; it’s time to turn down the volume on old mechanical self-talk; declare your mind a ‘mechanical-free zone’!
No longer allow old, worn out thinking to be your slave-master. Notice those old thought-habits that have hardened into unconscious whips that force you to think as you always thought. Unconscious whips stop you from experiencing yourself as the superlatively creative being that you truly are.
When you catch yourself mechanically repeating old thought-habits – say this, “I have temporarily misplaced my sanity.” You’re adding levity to the matter, which makes it easier to break free of psychological slavery; slavery that binds you to past thought-habits. In such moments, you can think anew …
SO REFRESHING!
Experience this freedom for yourself. No longer be trapped with mechanical thinking that insists that you do what you always did – learn to R.O.A.R. – awaken from psychic sleep – SWEET PLEASURE!
There is plenty to say about this blog. It is a powerful blog. Ponder it. Offer your comments. Teach others more about what I am saying by offering your insights. Make a fresh and new statement right now (for your sake).
Thank you … and blessings
“Best Comment of the Week”. This weeks best comment comes from Carol Anne. The runner up is JK from the Hustlers Notebook. See their comments here.
Wow, rob, this story about the ambulance siren is so ‘right on target’. How did you come up with the perfect story to explain your point. And I love Nick Kent’s illustrations. This is pure genius. You and Nick work really well together. Mechanical thinking is killing me. Thank you for this.
Yes, Don … Nick and I have formed a Master Mind Alliance that is powerfully creative. Thank you for noticing! blessings
Hi Rob,
Very nice! Mechanical thinking is what keeps us from achieving great success in life. Most people unfortunately tend to think the same old way. Once we get rid of our limiting beliefs and overcome our mechanical thinking, success will be knocking at our doors
Thanks for sharing
I once thought getting rid of limiting beliefs was simply a matter of thinking anew, Dia. It’s more than that! this is why the little orange book that re-teaches you how to R.O.A.R. is so great (coming soon).
Rob,
I love the paramedic metaphor. What a great illustration of your point!
When we are stuck in old programed ways of thinking based on how we reacted years ago – we really aren’t in control of our lives, are we?
We definitely need to wake up! Live in the present and recognize when we are thinking “mechanically.”
Thanks so much for this terrific post Rob.
R.O.A.R. -ing is an awesomely powerful ‘waking up process’ Angela. Hold your hat!! Coming out soon. blessings
Hi Rob. This is a cool idea. My mechanical mind give me self doubt… all I hear is like…. your too young and naive …. you don’t know what you are doing …. and on and on. The problem is there is still some truth to that and it gets me a bit depressed. I really, really want to be successful so I balance it out by reminding myself that “I am marvelously made…”
Now that I know that it is the Mechanical Thinking that is my biggest problem I am confident I can get to where I want to be! Thanks Rob!!
Indeed, Kara, simply idnetifying ‘mechanical thinking’ as your mental slave-master gives you the opportunity to break the chains to the negative thought-habits that arise out of your past. NICE. thank you
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Whoa Rob! I love the ambulance metaphor. That fits just perfectly. When the going gets tough I find myself thinking, “man, who needs the aggravation?…” Then I find myself capitulating and letting people push me around. If I’m going to get my business to the top I’ve got to watch out for that.
Indeed agreed, Rus … watch out for the sirens that go off in your head that make you compulsively react to your past. Nice noticement. I love the ambulance metaphor also. thank you.
Rob,
“…a creative genius, here to thrive…” –> I love that!!
We ARE creative geniuses, it’s there in all of us. The thing is, just like your ambulance story (which is such a great example), it so easy to think what we’ve always thought.
What if.
What if…we just made tiny tweaks to our thinking. Like the canned response to the canned question “How are you?” , the response is all too typically “good”. What if our response was something more meaningful (even if that’s a messier answer). And the question – the same thing…more meaningful, from the heart, questions.
Rob, you’ve got me thinking (hopefully NOT too mechanically!!) of where I’m at with this, and how I can make some small changes towards the creative genius that is within…
I love your comment, Lance … it demonstrates ORIGINAL THINKING. Yes, we must beware: the mechanics of mind is always trying to put us on automatic! thank you
Unconscious whips stop you from experiencing yourself as the superlatively creative being that you truly are.
I’ve never heard of the phrase ‘unconscious whips’ before Rob, and it brought to my mind the perfect imagery of what you were trying to explain…and how our past thoughts/actions can greatly hinder our performance and inner genius today.
You always make me think Rob. Thank you for that.
Marcus
I like when you grab one of my phrases (unconscious whips) and acknowlege its powerful demonstration of my communication. You are a an observer, Marcus. Thank you
Hello Rob,
I love this and it’s so timely for me. I am about to move on to a completely new job, where everything will be different from what I have been doing for most of my life.
I had been thinking about how I need to go in with a fresh mind that is free from all of my old mind-made limitations. I’ll be thinking about this and so many of your posts often I’m sure!
It’s interesting when we challenge our beliefs, Jenny Ann. Our ego considers it a terrible insult; it shows up as irritability for the smallest of matters. When we catch onto our psychic slavery, we have the power to break free. Indeed agreed, a new job needs a fresh start (in mind) if it is to be rewarding and gratifying. blessings
Rob,
Mechanical thinking can be so unconscious, that uncovering when we’re engaging in the process is the difficult part. That’s what is so funny about limiting thoughts, beliefs, and ideas, is that many people actually know they have them and are acting according to them, but they can’t actually do anything about it. I have felt like this often, intellectually I understand, but emotionally I’m still dis-empowered. What has worked for me to change mechanical thinking is to not try and notice when I’m thinking self-defeating thoughts, but to simply implant what I want and start thinking in an empowering way. In essence, changing our mechanical thinking to be positive and empowering.
YES, Joe, our emotions become our slave-masters. They are the unconscious whips that insist we always think as we always thought. Noticing this gives us the power to do something about it. Thanks for your great tips. blessings
[...] tough to alter what we have been attached to most of our life, but we must start to produce more empowering beliefs and stop defending the half-truths that hold us [...]
“Mechanical thinking is psychological slavery; it puts you behind emotional prison bars that do not allow you the freedom to try something new in your life. ”
I’m a living example of this mechanical thinking (but in the process of ROAR’ing my way out of the imprisonment. I grew up in a tough environment and never wanted to shed that toughness for I thought it was what made me who I was. My attitude was centered around not being taken advantage of…I think it was a necessary attitude growing up, but beyond that sector of my life, it really hasn’t been a necessity. The attitude (or thinking) took over in other areas that led me to think defensively all to often: [such as]“I can learn everything by myself, who needs a mentor – they might lead me in the wrong direction”…and other foolishness like that. This all stemmed from mechanical thinking that I developed from childhood experiences that kept me from excelling to new peaks as an adult.
I asked myself an honest question after reading this post last night: Am I totally cured of mechanical thinking. I immediately answered NO! But I’m totally dedicated to becoming free of mechanical thinking because I understand that it’s a leash around my neck, it’s a fortress keeping me tucked away from mental freedom.
Thanks for bringing this to light, for it allowed me to think deeply and identify areas that I need to work on. Thank you Rob.
Beware the sirens, Jk. When you find yourself compulsively acting as you did in the past,youare being whipped into shape by mechanical thinking. When we declare ourselves free … soon thereafter we find we are once again caught in old reative tendencies. Are we ever totally free? Only when we remain vigilant to the fact that we may not be. Truth loves the sincerely persistent person … and that, you are … my friend. blessings
Hi Rob – Yes, I’m persistent and certainly totally focussed on overcoming bad mental practices. I tell you, it’s been the journey that has opened my eyes to see that the vast amounts of imperfection that are within me. But, it’s also open my eyes and lit a fire in me to take ownership in changing those imperfections to qualities that not only enrich my life, but the life of others. I’m James Allen and I’m Prosperous.
NICE, Jk …. indeed agreed … you are James Allen and you are prosperous … and I intend to tap into that prosperity in the near future (in ways that give gain to you and the world). blessings
I’ve had people tell me I can be cheap. My “mechanical way of thinking” makes me keep my wallet in my pocket. I used to think this was a good thing because In my head I’m just extremely cautious with money. Then I learned about sowing and reaping and tried to change. I have to admit, when I’m out with my friends I forget all about that stuff and try to save a few pennies. It takes one of my friends calling me out for being cheap to make me snap out of it. I’d like to just be generous but its tough.
Bad news is good news when we are willing to be aware, Alan … because we can do something about it. Nice noticement about yourself …’cheap’ can transform to ‘generous’ when we make it our conviction. Keep on going! blessings
Interesting. You reminded me of an old thought habit. Long ago, a mentor taught me to be fully open in receiving information. I took it to heart. I learned to listen so fully and absorb, that I got absorbed in absorbing. Rather than the pattern of waiting to speak, or preparing in my mind, I was simply in the moment listening. Ironically, I often found myself having no response … like the movie, Joe vs. the Volcano, when she says, “I have no response to that.” It was like extreme listening created a vacuum and an inward spiral and reflection.
As a side note, the lesson I learned from that is that empathic listening trumps silent listening, and that I had to echo back until somebody “felt” heard.
nothing is a better gift to humanity that a GOOD LISTENING. A ‘good listening’ is rare (where folks are simply listening with no urge to respond). It is not only a gift to others, it is an incredible gift to oneself. We get to hear the truth!
thank you, J.D. and blessings, rob
I love this one. What a great way to think about things. I notice this all the time. I’ll being going about my day and suddenly say “whoa! where did that come from.” I’m not sure how to stop the thoughts but I tend to notice them when they do pop up. Usually when I’m tired it is thought of doubt and just feeling like everything is too much to deal with. The only thing I do is bear down and grid it. I’d like to be done with those thoughts – it’s exhausting!
allowing mechanical thoughts to ‘just pass through’ is not exhausting, Carol Anne … it’s when we decide to argue with them or when we allow them to enslave us with compulsive reactions … now that’s exhausting. blessings,
Great post. We have to let go of the past. Once we leave the past in the back seat of our old school Camaro. You need a new drop top convertible. Live in the present moment, forget the past. It only hurts the engine of your station wagon and kills the transmission to your optimistic thought patterns.
Nice metaphor, jonathan … thank you for your point of view. With this in mind, reflect a moment; how can you use this metaphor for self-investigation; What does it teach you about yourself? That is where its power lies. blessings
I have a problem with being psychologically enslaved by old thought-habits. I have a second voice that tells me when I am, but I cannot seem to gain the will power to stop my over-reactions to certain things.
Awareness is always step one to taking command of the mind (what is it up to now?). That second voice you hear, Nancy .. that’s the awareness. Keep going! blessings.
Ohhhh SNAP ROB!! I’m liking this one A HELLA LOT. This is why I like to keep people on their toes by keeping it real and doing it MY WAY! IF we just walk, talk and act like every one around us we will never become one of the GREAT ONES! Anybody who knows me knows I go all out all the time ONE HUNDRED TEN PERC-IZ-ENT! When I find myself getting lazy about business I tell myself to STEP IT UP! You wait and see this year. I’m gonna make $100K and from there the skies the limit!!
I want you on my team, Magic. I speak from a different planet than you – but you make total sense! I love your humor; you are trying to be funny, aren’t you? blessings
Rob, In hairy situations at sea you have to be cool, calm and collected. Those who panic end up getting hauled in by the Coast Guard (or worse). It’s the same thing — we have to be wary of our “Mechanical Thinking” in such moments. The right move is often not the “logical” one. Mechanical thinking is almost like panic thinking — suspending judgment allows us to see the many options available to us — and thus making the right call.
I love your real life example of what this blog is addressing, Salty. NICE. Thank you for who you are. blessings.
Rob: Really great post. I really appreciated what you said and will be very careful to not fall into the trap of mechanical thinking. It really is sometimes easy to just fall into patterns and think and respond in the same way despite the fact that it has never done anything positive for you. I think your advice to always be on the lookout of mechanical thinking is very helpful because you do have to be aware so that you can actively choose to do things differently. Thanks for the advice.
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