Challenging Times Requires Innovative Thinking
Innovation in Thinking Will Lead to Better Results
It doesn’t take Einstein to figure out that the world is experiencing very challenging times on all fronts and it is needless to say the “old” way of thinking isn’t sufficient enough, to lift people out of these turbulent times. Such challenges times require people to be more innovative in their thinking to assist them effectively deal with the many challenges they are likely to face moving forward.
Superior or innovative thinking isn’t “fluffy speak” neither is it a fad catchphrase but it is about being empowered in terms of thought processes. However, innovative and superior results require tremendous effort as Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe says, "Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one's thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world."
Superior results require superior thinking and this may sound like a simple common sense statement which it really is. Cultivating it and making it the norm doesn’t have to be difficult either but it does require commitment, vision, determination and drive amongst a few necessary ingredients to achieve desired end results.
Superior Thinking
Many top performers and geniuses have made it their job to ensure superior results as consequence of utilising the power of their thinking. Take Gandhi for example who said, "I will not allow anyone to walk through my mind with their dirty feet."
Many people allow many internal and external influences and stimuli to impact their thought processes and allow such thoughts to “walk through their minds” with such free reign which has a significant impact on the final results which can be a bit of a “hit and miss” affair.
Having “free reign thinking” isn’t a bad thing but the type of thinking people normally engage in most of the time (be it negative or positive) does matter. On average people have approximately 60,000 – 70,000 thoughts a day, and the majority of those thoughts are negative, unless the person is really optimistic. On this topic, Ralph Emerson states, “The ancestor of every action is thought.” Consequently, thoughts become behaviour and ultimately, they determine the end results.
Safe Thinking Leads to Safe Results
If experts are anything to go they state that on average most people will only use 40% to 50% of their true potential during the course of their lives which means a hefty 50% to 60% will remain unused. That’s a very big percentage – think of all those dreams and ambitions just burning away, but will never come to fruition for one reason or another.
Such people will spend most of their lives “driving” along in the middle lane because this is what their thinking and belief system dictates to them, but in reality such a mindset is created by the individual’s perception of his or her own reality.
Additionally, such thinking sets people up to play safe and safe results are achieved even though higher goals and dreams are desired. Helen Keller’s quote on this is excellent; she says, "Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."
It is worth reiterating that the precursor to action is though which will ultimately determine the results achieved in the end.
Naturally, when people attempt to set higher standards, they will experience a host of emotions and limiting beliefs of fear/failure/safety, etc. which will rear their heads consistently and with great force. Why? When an attempt is made to do something different this requires courage which will lead to great personal and professional development.
Remember same effort means same results and growth is guaranteed in the direction of thinking! Each day thoughts shape the way people live their lives and thinking the same, will lead to “travelling” down the same route time and time again even though the voice of frustration will get louder and louder each and every time the same journey is made.
How to Achieve Better Results When Aiming for Success
The key is to find out which areas of personal and professional life could benefit from superior results. Each time thoughts err towards the negative, it helps to bring the thought process back to a single focal point. Any successful focal point will do so long as it works and please remember this process does get easier with practice. There are also a number of active things which can accelerate the process:
- Learning from historical figures
- Reading from inspirational books
- Regularly doing something new to shift the thought process consistently
- Utilise different methods to achieve results and avoid using the most familiar methods
- Meet new people or old friends and acquaintances
- Invent the rules and have fun!
The following questions may also be of help:
- Identify areas both personally and professionally which can give better results?
- How can better results be manifested into life?
- What action plan will need to be put into place to achieve the desired result?
- What benchmarks have been identified which inform the achievement of the desired results?
- How will success be celebrated upon achieving the desired results?
The current turmoil on the international stage has provided great opportunities to those people willing to be more inventive when aiming for better results. Furthermore, the “old” rule book no longer provides adequate guidance and more inventive ways of thinking are necessary to enable people to deal with the many challenges which lay ahead.
Related Reading
Readers may also enjoy the benefits of maintaining a clear focus along with deliberate practice and personal development during challenging times.
Innovation in Thinking Leads to Greater Success
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