I recently spoke at TEDxIIMRaipur. They had a wonderful theme: “Thoughts, Actions & Beyond”. In this post, I have shared the summary of my talk & the video (at the end).
I just tried to think through the reasons why ‘our mind magnetically attracts junk thoughts’. Reason: – ‘We do stuff in life which renders our mind v weak’. Obviously vinegar will never attract more flies than would honey.
The present generation is highly over busy, over informed, over confused but severely under rested. Unfortunately we are living in an age where unnecessary things are becoming our biggest necessities & cravings. Usually we are doing things out of making an impression & not necessarily out of passion. Relationships are becoming more pretentious than heart centric.
My work gets me to travel, meet lots of people and inner view them too. Majority are JUNK thinkers; the reason why they end up living a JUNK life too. They think A LOT. At times this constant mental chatter or Brownian movement of thought precipitates into ‘Thought attacks’. A chronic feverishness is almost always there with them. Technologies — internet, mobile phones have overwhelmed the majority junta. Late night ‘Whatsapp’ is the latest addition.
Exhaustion & confusion is written large on most faces. The ethic of bigger, faster has prompted us to expend far more energy than we adequately renew. The demands keep on relentlessly rising. Usually how we respond: – we over eat, do lots of Tea & coffee, spend a lot of time watching the TV or doing Facebook, discussing people issues etc. All this is nothing but a misguided effort to calm and comfort ourselves. TV & FB do nothing but to numb our senses rather than truly renewing or refuelling.
My fondest learning in the last few years: –
Do less!
Do that ‘Less’ v well
Be hard on your ownself in doing that ‘Less’ very well…
Life is not about doing 20 things lousily but about doing those 3-4 things very well; as the remaining 16-17 things are usually nothing but JUNK attractions. In fact a lot of stuff around is JUNK. The trick is to simplify & progressively reduce your JUNK consumption & eventually become so discerning that you begin to ‘Bunk the Junk’. Only then will your thoughts gradually become practical & objective instead of irrational, dramatic & subjective. It will be then that the REAL growth will come (Personally experienced).
Here’s what I do. I try to kill my feverishness & become centered for some good part of the year. I mean, I find months when I am completely secluded and locked. I do not waste my energies on people, I just do not see TV or go for parties, bring friends home etc. I just focus on my work. I think of 100 ways as to ‘How I can inspire my believers in a better way’. This ‘Alone time’ allows my tallest ideas to flow through my mind. I owe it to myself to be alone for a few weeks. So do you? Only then shall your real value unlocking will happen & you shall be able to pour into the world your sharpened brilliance. Else there is no value for ‘Blunt brilliance’ which usually sediments obstinately onto our mind because of our hardened habit of ‘Junk thoughts consumption’.
Today — ‘Select your thoughts’. Differentiate JUNK thoughts from AWESOME thoughts.
You might get tempted to ‘complex’ your life in hazaar ways but do not forget:- ‘It is all about ‘Simplification ”. Be a reductionist!
You can watch the video below. Keep Rising & Shining!
The sound quality of the video is not very good. Please enable ‘Subtitles’ on the video by clicking on the 2nd option ‘Captions’ at the bottom right corner below the video. If you wish to watch it on Youtube, please click here
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