"Thinking Without Really Thinking"

"Thinking Without Really Thinking"

Wow! What an interesting subject! I read a book where it was mentioned that we humans have the power to think, but many people use their thinking without truly thinking. Why is that so? One of the writers stated that a common "disease" among humans is the "excuse and blame game." He also mentioned that countless people on this earth live ordinary lives and often try to mask their failures to achieve something with justifications and excuses. Many people are so habitual in making excuses that you could write an entire book. They construct strong, logical arguments to prove that they face greater difficulties than anyone else, which supposedly hampers them from fulfilling their desires or meeting their commitments to their loved ones. Interestingly, the study also highlighted that there are people who achieve their aspirations despite leading similar, or even tougher, lives than the average person.

Recently, I had a very meaningful discussion with one of my female clients who has hearing difficulties. She has 20% hearing loss on one side and 50% on the other. In her daily routine and at home, she didn't face much difficulty since she could hear from one side. However, in group settings or when people spoke from the side with more significant hearing loss, she struggled. I explained to her that because she is intelligent, she can compensate for what she doesn’t hear, as her brain has language stored and registered. However, I told her that this compensation may not always work. I emphasized that we don’t just hear through our ears; we also hear through our brains. As we age, we may not realize that the brain processes sounds more slowly, which could lead to challenges in staying alert and understanding conversations, often requiring people to repeat themselves.

She gave me a very prompt response, saying, "You are exactly right. Many times, we don’t realize what we are doing to ourselves. We feel as though everything is perfectly normal with us. Sometimes, we are not even aware of our own body or its potential. For example, we have five fingers, and all five can write, hold, or perform actions. However, as normal individuals, we’ve never made an effort to identify which finger has more strength, which one is weaker, or which finger is being supported by the others. We remain unaware of these details." I was amazed at the depth of this simple observation and thought, My God, this philosophy carries such profound meaning, yet we’ve never taken the time to reflect on it. During that discussion, I realized how often in life we engage in "thinking without really thinking."

I recently read a research study about autism. According to a British psychologist, people with autism are described as "mind blind." Individuals with autism often find it difficult or even impossible to process things naturally and automatically that neurotypical people do. They struggle with interpreting non-verbal cues such as gestures and facial expressions, and they find it challenging to put themselves in someone else’s shoes to understand their perspective. Their ability to form first impressions is fundamentally impaired. This condition gives us insight into what happens when our mind-reading faculties fail. While reading this, I found myself reflecting—almost thinking without thinking—that in today’s age of scientific revolution and the selfie-driven world, a significant percentage of people seem to exhibit traits resembling autism, in the sense that they are increasingly disconnected from interpreting deeper emotions and understanding others’ perspectives. Could it be that, without realizing it, we are moving toward a kind of “mind-blindness” ourselves?

I also read somewhere that our facial expressions represent our emotions, feelings, and actions. One research study found that our facial muscles are capable of identifying every distinct muscular movement the face can make. The study revealed that we perform 43 movements using our facial muscles. These movements are controlled by the mind, and by observing these actions, researchers discovered that people can create almost 300 combinations using just two facial muscles. When five muscles are involved, there are over 10,000 visible facial configurations. Interestingly, most of these configurations have no particular meaning—like the nonsensical faces children make out of pure innocence. As I was reading this, I couldn’t help but think about how much we do without even realizing or thinking. It’s fascinating how our mind and body work so effortlessly and unconsciously.

We, as normal people, often don’t realize that we think without truly thinking. However, some individuals think consciously and act according to their thoughts, and these are the people who achieve extraordinary success. These individuals may not come from families with politicians, doctors, or celebrities, yet they still rise above and achieve greatness. They are the ones who understand that no one knows what the future holds, but they believe in the sheer beauty of life and recognize the power they have to craft their own destiny through aspiration and effort. Lack of facilities, coming from a low economic background, or having limited education does not hinder their success. They are the ones who possess a genuine, positive power to think and channel it toward creating a better future for themselves.

Successful people often ask themselves, "What is holding me back?" They believe that nothing can stop them from reaching the top if they are willing to give their best to fulfill their dreams. The truth is, when we achieve iconic success after years of determination and dedication, everything we do can become a style statement or a trend. This influence extends to how we present ourselves and how we inspire others through our actions. However, true success is not just about personal achievements. If your struggles make you stronger but you fail to understand and empathize with the suffering of others, then that success is incomplete. We should not remain stuck in past chapters of our lives. Instead, we must create new episodes in a positive way—episodes that bring light, provide direction, and pave the way for others to follow.

Thinking without thinking—I like the idea of the unconscious mind making conscious efforts. Many of my patients who stammer are encouraged to practice fake stammering while making conscious efforts to become positive speakers. They work hard on this, and, in time, they often become better speakers than most people. Sometimes, I joke with myself and think, Don’t think without thinking... ha ha ha! But deep down, I feel this:

- Yes, I can change myself if I decide to.

- Yes, I can inspire and change others by showing them positivity in life.

- Yes, I can contribute to changing the world—but only to create a beautiful one, driven by a consistent feeling of kindness.

This belief gives me hope and fuels my purpose.