Thinking…something we should all be doing. Right now, you are probably thinking, “What is he talking about? I think all the time.” While this may be true, are you thinking about the right things and do you have a way to think about the things that make a difference in your life? Sure, you can sit in a chair, and day dream. You can even be consumed on your drive home from work with a problem or solution you need an answer to. Though this could be some good think time, the best way of thinking is to think on paper. That’s right. You need to write in order to think. How can this help?
Helps Develop Ideas
When you write on paper, you want to put every idea that comes to mind…even the foolish ones. This is the brainstorming session you need to be creative. Not only will this help you find new ideas, it can also help you develop an idea you already have. When you write your ideas down, something magical happens between your brain and the physical motion of writing on paper. For some reason, unknown to me, it opens your mind and makes thinking not only a mental thing, but a physical thing. Before you know it, you are all in, mind and body. And the best way to develop new ideas or to mature an idea you have, is to go all in and be fully there.
Improves Your Thinking
When you have a process for thinking, like writing things down, you get better at thinking. A process is something that you can work on and improve upon. Imagine, you don’t just think…you have a process by which you do your most effective thinking. By writing things down, you can come up with ways you want to attack problems, or ways to be creative. There are many suggestions on the Internet for problem solving techniques or ways to get into the creative zone, and the majority of them start with writing things down.
When you write things down, you will tend to review it. When I wrote my book, Because I Forget, I wrote it just to get my ideas and process on paper. I read that writing things down puts you more in touch with your feelings and your process. And it sure did. Not only was I able to mature my ideas, but I felt connected with them. Having the words on paper allowed me to review them for improvement and helped me improve my process for thinking. Never underestimate the power of review and reflection.
Conclusion
If you want to do some effective thinking, start with getting a pen and some paper out. Write down whatever comes to mind, no matter how foolish it seems. Dedicate some time to think. Give yourself 30-60 minutes to think about the problem you are trying to solve. After that time, put the paper aside and the problem out of your mind. Give your subconscious mind a chance to work on it. Review your notes the next day, and add to them if necessary. Before you know it, even when you are not actively thinking about the problem, an answer will come to you. And what should you do then? That’s right…get out the pen and paper and get back to thinking.
If you haven’t tried thinking on paper, you need to give it a shot. Put aside at least 30 minutes a day to think. Think about your life, your job, your family, your finances. Think about a problem that you need to solve or an issue that has been stealing your focus. Write everything down and watch how your mind finds peace and finds answers. It’s sorta magical!!!