Stop Spending So Much Time In Your Head

You can train yourself to choose what you think about.

I know something about you without knowing you. I bet you spend A LOT of time in your head.
​
You know, thinking, worrying, stressing, freaking out — call it whatever you want. I call it a preoccupied mind. And with what?

99% of your thoughts are useless. William James put it best:

“A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.”

All my life I’ve been obsessed with practical things. Practical philosophy, practical knowledge, practical books, practical work, and practical advice.

That idea comes from Pragmatism, a philosophical tradition that started in the 19th century in America. Charles Sanders Peirce, who was a Harvard professor, is considered as the “father of Pragmatism.”

But it was William James, a trained physician turned philosopher, who really defined the philosophy.
About thoughts, worry, and stress, William James says:

“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” Continue reading.

Originally posted on Thrive Global.