Emotionalized Final Thoughts

This is the third (and hopefully final) post in a series, the topic of which is the concept of “emotionalized thoughts.” If you have not read the first and second posts, I encourage you to do so before continuing.

Having explored the affect emotionalized thoughts have on the creation of beliefs, as well as the accomplishment of goals, let us continue our exploration with a third example. In Lesson IV: Thought and Concentration, we find that thoughts which are either repeated or emotionalized have a “magnetic” affect on one's mind. The word “magnetic” is used to indicate that such thoughts appear to have a tendency to “attract” other thoughts which are of a similar or related nature to that of the original thought. A person who is worrying about the outcome of some past action, for instance, will find that if they continue “worrying” (repeating the said thought) or if their initial “worry” is accompanied by a strong feeling(s)—such as anxiety, nervousness, etc.—they will find it inevitable that other thoughts of a similar or related nature will begin appearing in their consciousness as well. Hence, an initial fear or worry that a given action (A) may produce an anticipated negative result (B), suddenly expands in their mind. They now are not merely worrying that A will result in B, but now that A may not only result in B, but potentially consequence C, D, and E, as well. In effect, the initial fear or worry has expanded through a kind of “snowball” effect in the said person's mind.

As previously stated, the affect of an “emotionalized thought” is simply that it appears to “speed up” the cognitive faculties inherent in one's mind. If thought X is accompanied by strong feelings (emotions), then additional thoughts of a similar or related nature to that of X are likely to begin appearing almost immediately. The substance of the original thought itself is irrelevant. If the thought is of a positive nature, with accompanying positive emotions/feelings, the “magnetism” of the thought will be positive as well. The word “magnetism” refers to the capacity of a given thought to attract other thoughts of a similar or related nature. Thus, positive will attract and perpetuate positive while negative will attract and perpetuate negative. If you throw strong emotions/feelings into the mix, the process occurs in less time.

Another phenomenon associated with emotionalized thoughts which may be worth noting is their apparent unreliability or fickleness. For example, let us return to the above mentioned person who is struggling with the fear or worry that action A may produce consequence B. Due to the strong feelings which accompanied their initial “worry” they now find themselves confronted with the prospect of, not only consequence B, but potential consequences C, D, E, etc. These additional potential consequences have, in effect, been produced as the result, not of careful thought or analysis, but rather of sheer emotion. Insofar as such potential consequences have been created by emotion, they are not necessarily reliable. In other words, after the said events transpire and all consequences—anticipated or otherwise—have occurred, it is likely that the majority of the said person's worries will have been unrealized and thus spent in vain.

How many of us have driven ourselves to the edge of madness through emotion, only to find such things to often be utterly baseless, unwarranted and devoid of all rationale? Our emotions absolutely have their benefits, but unless we are able to accurately discern when to employ them, we will likely deceive ourselves.

Only Different In Your Mind

The following quotation appears in the Selected Quotes section at the end of Lesson XII: Possibility and Impossibility:

"No! No different! Only different in your mind!"

-Yoda

Obviously the above quote is from Star Wars, and at risk of being overly cliché, I have included a video of it transpiring below. If nothing else, it is worth watching to simply re-emphasize the enormous affect our beliefs have on our abilities.

An Emotionalized Follow Up

The foundation needed to understand the concept of “emotionalized thoughts” was laid out in a previous post. At this time, I would like to continue the discussion. We have seen that emotionalized thoughts are simply thoughts linked with strong feelings. We have also seen that such thoughts “speed up” our mental operations—one example of which has already been given. But in what other ways can such thoughts possibly affect us? While the previous example was concerned with Lesson I: Perception and Belief, the example provided below will involve Lesson III: Goals and Dreams.

As stated in the third lesson, the second step to bring a thought, goal or dream into reality is called Focus, which means concentrating on the thing you wish to accomplish. Concentration itself is a mental activity, and therefore a form of thinking, and as such the concept of Focus essentially refers to the activity of “thinking about” whatever it is you want to accomplish. When this (focus) is done, consistently over time, your mind will begin to identify various methods of how to accomplish the thing you want. This occurs in the form of thoughts or ideas which “flash” into the conscious mind, thereby providing a person with a basic set of possible methods which may then be utilized to bring a given thought, goal or dream into reality.

As you might expect, the time component needed to complete this process is very much dependent on the amount of feeling or emotion involved in a person's thoughts. With little excitement or enthusiasm to accomplish a given goal or dream, a person will struggle to produce the creative ideas needed to accomplish it. However, if a person's thoughts (concentrations) are emotionalized, that is, if a person's thoughts are passionate or enthusiastic about the prospect of accomplishing a given thing, then the same person will quickly experience possible methods or ideas “flashing” into their conscious mind, which may then be employed to accomplish their objective. If a person is sufficiently “fired up” about something, ideas on how to accomplish it may begin appearing in their mind immediately. Contrariwise, such possible methods or ideas rarely develop without feeling or passion.

As elementary as it may sound, a strong desire to accomplish a given objective is necessary to accomplish it. Such desire is not only beneficial in order to cultivate creative ideas, but also to develop persistence. It is worth noting that oftentimes initial “ideas” or “possible methods” (which are employed by a person to achieve their goals) prove faulty or problematic. If such is the case, without a strong desire, many people will give up or quit. It seems, in this case, our emotions provide us with a twofold benefit: the acquisition of creative ideas which may be utilized to accomplish our objectives, as well as the staying power needed to persist through failure.

The Poe and the Possible

As unusual or creepy as it may sound, I have been an avid Edgar Allan Poe enthusiast since I was approximately seven or eight years old. Initially, it was the cover art (pictured) of two separate compiled works of Poe that I had found in a Scholastic catalog which had caught my eye. In addition, the concept of a “short story” appealed to me, as it was an obvious alternative to reading an entire book. A proposition which I quietly dreaded as a child. I can still recall the day the much anticipated books were delivered. To my surprise I actually enjoyed reading them. If you have read Poe, you know that he has a certain style and flair to his writing, which I immediately noticed and admired. Though, I confess, I didn't have any living clue what I was reading and thus couldn't have comprehended more than 20% or so of what was actually transpiring in each narrative. But that didn't seem to affect my enjoyment. Meanwhile my parents were under the impression that their son was some kind of child genius, reading stories filled with words and concepts that neither of them knew or understood.

Since then, I have compiled many different editions of Poe's works, including a ten volume set of his complete works, letters and notes which itself is over a hundred years old. I have also made it a habit to read Poe in the fall or autumn of the year, as many of his stories have a Gothic or “Halloween-like” feel to them. At present, fall is upon us, and naturally I have set aside some time to revisit my oldest literary acquaintance.

I recently re-read “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” Having read the story many times, I consider it to be among Poe's best narratives—if not his very best. Some people believe Poe's stories to be the kind that only a boozy, bumbling idiot (whose so called literary genius is, at best, highly overrated) could possibly write. I emphatically disagree. Irrespective of his personal habits (which I do not condone), Poe's writing, if properly understood, can be considered no such thing. While re-reading “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” I came across the following sentence, having noticed it for the first time: “It is only left for us to prove that these apparent 'impossibilities' are, in reality, not such.” I couldn't help but notice the similarity between this particular quote and the concepts discussed in Lesson XII: Possibility and Impossibility and Lesson I: Perception and Belief.

We know that, for the most part, the things which are possible or impossible for us, are largely dependent on and determined by the things we believe. As stated in the final lesson, both the possible and the impossible are largely the creations of our own minds. We know from the first lesson that we can believe X is impossible for us to accomplish and as a result we will not spend our energies in it's pursuit. Likewise, when we believe Y is possible, we act as though it is, and therefore work to achieve it. But many times, we cannot know for certain if we can accomplish Y, until—in fact—we do. In this sense, until our objective is actually attained, we are operating on the basis of a certain amount of faith in our own abilities. There may, in fact, be no empirically verifiable reason for us to believe that we can accomplish Y. In such a situation, many may assume that we are attempting something which is apparently impossible. i.e., we are attempting something which we have no rational reason to believe we can attain. Yet oftentimes we still believe that we can accomplish Y and may in fact actually achieve it. Indeed, three such historical examples are given in the final lesson. But are not such examples evidence that, in some cases, the so called and apparently impossible—is in fact possible?

It therefore seems that many of our objectives can be understood as determining that which is truly possible for us, albeit within the shadowy realm of that which is “apparently impossible.” In other words, “it is only left for us to prove that these apparent 'impossibilities' are, in reality, not such.”

Emotionalized What?

Always in reference to a specific form of thought, the word “emotionalized” appears at various times throughout The Catalyst of Confidence. But to what exactly does this rather obscure word pertain? The lexicon reveals the following definition: Emotionalized thoughts are thoughts which are linked to strong feelings (whether positive or negative), and are more easily recognized by the subconscious mind. The key words or phrases in this definition are “thoughts,” “strong feelings,” “more easily recognized,” and “subconscious mind.” The phrase “thoughts linked with strong feelings” is easily understood and requires no further explanation. “More easily recognized by the subconscious mind,” on the other hand, seems to stand in need of further illumination.

What then does it mean for a thought to be more easily recognized by the subconscious mind? To begin with, thoughts which are linked to strong feelings (emotions) leave a deeper and more lasting impression on one's mind. As a result, such thoughts produce an effect that is best described by the “speeding up” of one's cognitive faculties. For example, in Lesson I: Perception and Belief, we learned that a person's beliefs are created through the perception and repetition of information. A person encounters information through their unique experiences, which they then evaluate or pass judgment on. This is known as perception, or the first step in the creation of a belief. But before a given perception may become a full blown belief, it must undergo a process of reinforcement, called repetition. This second step (repetition) generally requires an amount of time before a person's initial perception may solidify into a belief, unless the said perception is linked to a strong feeling or emotion. That is, unless the initial perception has been emotionalized. If the said perception has been emotionalized (or linked with a strong feeling or emotion), the second step in the process of belief creation, depending on the strength or intensity of the feeling the said perception is associated with, may essentially be unnecessary. In other words, to the extent the perception itself is emotionalized, the time component that is normally needed to “reinforce” it, may be drastically shortened, if not eliminated altogether.

To illustrate this, consider the following example. A young girl has always wanted to be an artist, specifically a painter. One day she decides she is going to paint a picture for her teacher. Though she has never painted before, she acquires the needed materials and begins painting. She dedicates hours to her project, envisioning how wonderful it will look when finished, and how her teacher will adore it. Upon presenting the finished painting to her teacher in front of her classmates, she is greeted with laughter and ridicule. Her fellow students begin making fun of her and her ridiculous painting, while her teacher, who is a little embarrassed by the whole scene of being presented with such an odd looking piece of art, quietly snickers along with the rest of the class. The young girl is naturally heartbroken as her secretly held dream of becoming an artist is quickly drowned by the laughter and mockery of her peers.

Such an experience will surely be evaluated and judged (step 1: perception) by the little girl, and it is reasonably likely that she will conclude that she has no business painting because she isn't any good. But because her perception is so intimately connected with strong emotions, it is likely that her perception will become a complete “action governing” belief immediately after having the said experience. In other words, she may not necessarily need to suggest to herself that “she isn't any good at painting” over and over again (step 2: repetition). Her experience and perception thereof was so very heart wrenching (emotionalized) that no additional suggestions were needed for reinforcement in order for her perception to become a belief. In this sense, her emotions have "speeded up" the operations of her subconscious mind. Needless to say, if she is like most people, it's safe to assume that such a belief will affect her for the rest of her life.

This provides us with just one example of how “emotionalized thoughts” are more easily recognized by the subconscious mind. I will continue to elaborate in the future.

The Pain of Specifics

“What is the book about?” is a question I am often confronted with. Such a question is surely simple enough, yet oftentimes it proves to be quite difficult to answer. If I answer merely by saying “confidence” I normally receive a rather blank stare in response, which also happens to occur if I say “human potential.” Both terms are technically correct, but in saying them it appears I posit, in substance, absolutely nothing. Both terms are in fact quite general and nonspecific and—because they appear to be more confusing than enlightening—I have thus abandoned them.

But what have I replaced these words with? What can I now say when confronted with such a question? Perhaps the book's description may provide us with an answer. The proposition that “confidence stems for our capacity to acknowledge and understand the reality of human potential” is clearly stated on the back cover of the book. Additionally, it appears as the first sentence in the Introduction, where the semantics of the word “acknowledge” is briefly considered, along with the multifaceted concept of “understanding,” which itself is explored in greater detail. But what exactly is meant by the final concept to which the above proposition refers, specifically the so called reality of human potential?

The reality of human potential refers to the possibilities which are inherent in the human person. Namely, the possibilities underlying mental and physical action, and especially the results such actions produce. When we understand the fundamental truth that things are not fixed, that circumstances do not have to be as they are, but can verily be different than that which is, that we as individuals have the ability to control our actions and thereby produce specific and determined results, that in short, our very actions operate as agents of change, we are better able to understand the reality that our actions may be utilized in order to bring about the change we desire. In other words, because we are able to understand the many ways in which our actions may be used, we are better able to understand the things we can accomplish through our own efforts, and thus understand the potential inherent within ourselves.

Thus, the object of the book becomes clear: to help one better understand the many ways in which their actions may be utilized, so as to afford them a better understanding of their potential, which in turn results in a genuine state of confidence.

Hence, when asked, I simply say the book is about helping a person better understand their potential.

The Difficult and the Impossible

We often think that something is impossible to do when in reality it is simply difficult. Statements such as “I can't do—X” have been adopted by many, again, not because the act of “X” is impossible per se, but simply because it is or could potentially be, difficult, and has therefore been inaccurately perceived to be impossible.

When you say you can't do something, are you implying that it is literally impossible for you to do, or that you would simply rather not do it? Upon reflection, most people recognize that it isn't that they can't do something, but rather, if they did, it would (or could) prove to be difficult, and therefore they prefer to avoid doing it. The word difficult, in this case, may represent things such as fear, discomfort, lack of desire, genuine difficulty, or whatever. Naturally someone who is afraid to do something will exclaim “I can't do that!” without much thought. But as discussed in a previous post, such statements are largely inaccurate as they do not convey the whole truth of a given situation.

It is truly unfortunate that so many have come to believe they can do so little. But this has largely resulted from inaccurate perceptions, such as those described above where that which is difficult has become synonymous with that which is impossible. It seems that the use of the word impossible, or words which can be interpreted definitively as such (i.e., can't), should never be exercised with folly or negligence, but, on the contrary, with only the utmost caution and consideration in view.