By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – January 22, 2019
Every once in a while, you stumble onto a phrase or something that’s worded in a way that puts things into perspective and brings an aha because you can finally articulate it and wrap your mind around the concept. I once heard it stated, “I don’t know who discovered water but I’m sure it wasn’t a fish.” To me, this is a very profound statement, because there are some things in this world that are so obvious that they’re missed because they’re so obvious.
As an attention coach, I find attention and thinking actually fascinating. Thinking is a process used to make a decision. It’s vital to attitude, and it’s something that you develop through conscious practice. So many of our thoughts are generated using our automatic brain that we’re not as conscious of pausing and thinking about what we’re thinking.
What I’ve learned over the years, particularly from my interviews with Dr. Russell Barkley, is that many of those with ADHD need to verbalize when they think. In other words, talking out loud or sharing their thoughts with somebody else to get feedback actually helps accelerate the conscious pausing and thinking process.
I also find that talking about thinking helps people become more conscious and more deliberate in their process.
I want to share this video that helped me to pause and think about my thinking. I hope it helps you recognize the value of pausing and thinking about what you’re thinking, and then direct your thinking. You’re in the driver’s seat!