“Reason enslaves all whose minds are not strong enough to master her.” ~ George Bernard Shaw
René Descartes, a 17th-century French mathematician, is considered one of the founding fathers of modern philosophy. His quote “I think, therefore I am” (cogito ergo sum in Latin) is the result of his search for a statement that could not be doubted. He found that he could not doubt that he himself existed, since he was the one doing the doubting in the first place. Of course it’s not quite that simple (it never is).
So what do I mean by “I don’t think, therefore I am not?” Well, it’s not that simple either. Let’s start by trying to understand the word “thinking.”
What is thinking?
The definition of thinking is “the action of using one’s mind to produce thoughts,” which seems reasonable enough. But it’s not, because in general it’s not true. Most thinking is not an action. An action is an event that someone performs for a purpose, and which is guided by that person’s intention. Most thinking is unintentional and useless.
I often hear from people who complain that they have a difficult time falling asleep, because they can’t stop thinking (about this or that). I ask them if they want to think about whatever it is at that particular time, and the exasperated answer is always a rhetorical, “What do you think?”
So what’s going on?
Yes, their minds are producing those thoughts. But no, they are not using their minds to produce them. Instead, their minds are using them, despite their most salient intentions. And as a result, they think, therefore they are unsettled and sleepless (do you see where I’m going with this?) I don’t think, therefore I am not… unsettled.
Thinking also happens to people when they go for a walk or sit on the beach, or even when they’re in the presence of their beautiful children. They’re distracted by their self-reflective thoughts, and so they miss the fullness of the moment. I don’t think, so I am not distracted.
Thinking is not the enemy.
Our minds evolved to think, which enabled us to communicate, create tools, and cooperate with one another. These tools empowered us to make fire, clothing, weapons and shelter, and thus to survive in harsh environments with fierce predators.
Thinking is humanity’s ultimate creative, collaborative, problem-solving tool. It produced electricity, refrigerators, air conditioning and penicillin. “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Schindler’s List,” and The Sydney Opera House. Because of thinking, you’re probably reading this on your smartphone (perhaps on a toilet). And if you get bored, you can simply swipe away and read a useful or beautiful essay, or watch a movie or news broadcast from some far away land.
So what’s the problem?
The problem is that your mind thinks that life is a problem to be solved and so it is always on, compulsively accessing its memories and searching for solutions. It happens automatically, like a self-driving car. And so, without even being aware of it, your mind is driving you.
I don’t think, therefore I am not on autopilot. Yes, my thoughts are me, just like my genetic heritage and my achy knee is me. But I don’t go where my physical and mental conditioning try to take me. I take myself where I want to go and, like Siri, my mind sits shotgun, typically in silence, waiting for me to ask it a question.
Beware of the box.
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “think outside the box.” It’s a business cliché, which means to approach a problem in an innovative way. But your life is not a problem to be approached through thinking. It’s a vast and amazing reality to wake up to and fully embrace. All of life is innovation, eternal and endlessly creative. And, like a fearful corporate team with comfortable jobs, it’s the stifling box called thinking—frustrating, endless internal debate—that’s got you all screwed up.
I truly hope that you become aware of this reality, and that you live a life of passion without thought (unless, of course, you actually want to think). And my hope it that my upcoming book, Unwinding Want, helps you with that realization.
Note: To be notified when Unwinding Want is released, simply subscribe to this newsletter. And don’t think about it; just do it (it’s free and easy).
Stay passionate!
“Your life is not a problem to be fixed” ❤️