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"Facing The REALLY BIG Fear" — (It's All About The Thinking)
By: Virginia McBride

We all have fears. Some are large. Some are small. Some we discuss willingly in public. Others we acknowledge privately but never admit to publicly. Still others we have but never acknowledge, simply because no one acknowledges these fears. Admitting to certain fears challenges our entire being --- who we are, what we accomplish, what we value. Psychologist John Collard (Institute of Human Relations, Yale University) listed seven kinds of common fears: (1) failure, (2) sex, (3) self-defense, (4) trusting others, (5) thinking, (6) speaking, (7) being alone. Which ones do you readily admit to having? Which of the seven fears do you not have? Which fears puzzled you?

WHERE DO I STAND? — Of the seven, I must admit that I never expected "thinking" to be something to fear. Then, I began to ask questions. Was I missing something that other people acknowledged? Frankly, throughout my extensive professional career, I have never heard anyone openly express a fear of thinking. Was I really afraid to think? Someone asked me recently what I do for fun. Without hesitation, I replied, "Think." The reply, "You gotta be kidding!" No, I really enjoy thinking. I enjoy the puzzles that thinking brings into my mind. I enjoy playing "what if" scenarios. I enjoy projecting the paths of trends I see.

Maybe I do not fear thinking because I am a writer and a platform speaker. As a youngster, I told stories. In my head, I heard entire conversations which played out as the dialogues of my characters. I envisioned lands that I had never visited. I encountered people who never existed. However, maybe I do not fear thinking because I am left-handed. For those of you who understand right-brain, left-brain theories, you know that lefties are always in their "right mind." (Little insider playfulness!)

Maybe I do not fear thinking because I was a speech communications major in college. Every class in that major demanded an ability to think-on-my-feet. It also required a skill with explaining ideas to people who had no knowledge of a given subject. The thinking here focused on translating the ideas into a vocabulary that was quite comfortable and familiar to my listeners. In short, I had to master "exported thought."

WHERE DO OTHERS STAND? — I count, among my colleagues, many people who love "thinking." We stretch each other. We challenge each other's ideas in search of clarity and simplicity. We analyze problems to understand the full reach of the problem, not just to look for solutions to implement quickly. We project our thinking into the future so we can plan for obstacles and hurdles. We also design for the future so we are prepared to act on opportunities when they arrive. We avoid the status quo. We are always looking for things to change, to improve, or to make a significant difference.

Sadly, in my career as a professor, I found all too many people who blindly, without question, accepted positions held by others — generally their "superiors." They believed what they were told. The wanted to appear obedient, not threatening — loyal, not disruptive — trusting of others, not themselves. They wanted, no demanded, that other people do the thinking and they would simply march forward.

When confronted with a challenge, they would retreat to the cover of the appointed "thinker" for protection. When an opportunity appeared, they were unprepared. When the future was mentioned, they presented the historical past. When planning was requested, they wanted to do only what had been done before, not even explore other possibilities. They wanted to do only what they had been taught by others, not what they discovered for themselves. They never owned the stances they presented. They perpetuated only what they had learned to believe. Questioning, challenging — neither was even remotely a part of their vocabulary.

Lest you believe that only education suffers from lack of thinking, look around you, hear your own conversations, identify the positions that others put forth. Which are repeat versions of the past? Which ones simply dredge-up old mistakes or histories? Which ones simply re-run other people's conversations, even their gossiping. Check your favorite news program, even news commentary!

If all of this lack of thought excites you, may I suggest that you are one of those who really does fear thinking. Most likely, you believe that you have thoughts all day, every day. But, take a look at the content and the quality of the thoughts. How many thoughts do you have that try to undo some past happening that you can never change? How many of your thoughts focus on what you must accomplish that someone else assigned to you. How many of your thoughts challenge you to make a difference in your world? How many of your thoughts center on making your dreams come true. How many focus on the past? On the future?

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? — If one is to believe Susan Jacoby (The Age of American Unreason), "our country has become unthinking and is now ill with a powerful mutant strain of intertwined ignorance, anti-rationalism, and anti-intellectualism." If one is to believe Columnist Richard Reeves, audiences "do not want complicated and emotionally complex stories that remind them of their own frustrations and powerlessness." What then is the challenge going forward? As individuals, we (me included) need to face our fears of all kinds of thinking. We need to find ways to present possibilities in simple, clear language that can grasp the imagination of others. We need to think about the problems facing us as individuals, as families, as states, and as nations. Where is our common sense? We must find it, develop it, and share it with others, even those who disagree with us. The future belongs to us! How will we shape it? Facing your REALLY BIG fear is only the first step.

Article Source: http://www.excitingdestiny.com/articles

Virginia L. McBride, The Haven Maven Founder, EPROW Images Creator, "IT'S ALL ABOUT THE THINKING" Virginia builds personalized "thinking environments" to strengthen innovative thought. Working with EPROW Images, clients face their thinking fears. This confrontation frees them to think actively about the future they desire. To qualify for a free 30-minute consultation, submit a "pitch" through EPROW's PAPPY program => www.eprowimages.com

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