Comments on: Thought vs. Action http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/02/thought-vs-action/ Personal Development for Smart People Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:37:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Steve Pavlina http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/02/thought-vs-action/#comment-1030 Steve Pavlina Wed, 23 Feb 2005 05:00:16 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/02/thought-vs-action/#comment-1030 I find the 4-area model more effective. It separates out emotions from mind (thoughts) and from spirit (conscience). It's often the case that what you want (heart) isn't the same as what you feel you should have (spirit), what you think you're capable of getting (mind), or what you need (body). So I think heart/desire deserves equal weight. I find the 4-area model more effective. It separates out emotions from mind (thoughts) and from spirit (conscience). It’s often the case that what you want (heart) isn’t the same as what you feel you should have (spirit), what you think you’re capable of getting (mind), or what you need (body). So I think heart/desire deserves equal weight.

]]> By: Brian http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/02/thought-vs-action/#comment-1029 Brian Wed, 23 Feb 2005 04:51:46 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/02/thought-vs-action/#comment-1029 I notice that you enumerated body, heart, mind, and spirit. It seems to me the traditional model consists of body, mind, and spirit. Insights? I notice that you enumerated body, heart, mind, and spirit. It seems to me the traditional model consists of body, mind, and spirit. Insights?

]]> By: Steve Pavlina http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/02/thought-vs-action/#comment-1024 Steve Pavlina Tue, 22 Feb 2005 21:54:19 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/02/thought-vs-action/#comment-1024 I think that's a good way of putting it. Thought can be focused and treated as another action. But I think there's also some benefit to both unfocused thought and unfocused action, which you might define as daydreaming or play. I often go for long walks where I just let my thoughts wander, and that's often the time where the most creative ideas come to me. The key I think is to know when your thoughts need to be more focused and when they need to be less focused and then to use your conscious will to make those adjustments. When everything is congruent, this is actually pretty easy to do. But it can be tremendously difficult when congruence is absent because you'll feel internal resistance to change. I think that’s a good way of putting it. Thought can be focused and treated as another action. But I think there’s also some benefit to both unfocused thought and unfocused action, which you might define as daydreaming or play. I often go for long walks where I just let my thoughts wander, and that’s often the time where the most creative ideas come to me.

The key I think is to know when your thoughts need to be more focused and when they need to be less focused and then to use your conscious will to make those adjustments. When everything is congruent, this is actually pretty easy to do. But it can be tremendously difficult when congruence is absent because you’ll feel internal resistance to change.

]]> By: Rich http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/02/thought-vs-action/#comment-1023 Rich Tue, 22 Feb 2005 21:03:15 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/02/thought-vs-action/#comment-1023 The heart/mind/body/spirit thing was quite funny, thank you. Something that I didn't see mentioned, and I've been thinking about--yes, thought is a mental action. But you can still over/onderanalyze regardless of redefinition of terms. The point is, I think, that thought needs to be subject to the same consciousness/intentionality that you are urging application of to one's whole life. It's on the order of stepping back and saying, "what is the purpose of this line of thought? Do I need to refocus?" I think focused thought naturally has a point where it is translated to action, where unfocused thought just leads to more thought. This is fine, but not ideal to have as the default condition The heart/mind/body/spirit thing was quite funny, thank you.

Something that I didn’t see mentioned, and I’ve been thinking about–yes, thought is a mental action. But you can still over/onderanalyze regardless of redefinition of terms. The point is, I think, that thought needs to be subject to the same consciousness/intentionality that you are urging application of to one’s whole life. It’s on the order of stepping back and saying, “what is the purpose of this line of thought? Do I need to refocus?” I think focused thought naturally has a point where it is translated to action, where unfocused thought just leads to more thought. This is fine, but not ideal to have as the default condition

]]>