Shrink the Error Rate of Your Thinking

Haven’t you wished you knew of a better way to live? And to be worry-free, happy and blissful?

Be sure. It is possible. And it does not require you to give up anything you have.

All you need to do is to think right. The human mind, on an average, thinks 60,000 thoughts a day. These thoughts occur at random. Most often, they are of regret or guilt (a past experience) or are of anxiety (of the unknown future). Rarely do we think of the present. Because we somehow have this notion that life is a dress rehearsal. It is not. This is it. So, we must learn to live in the now. And not just exist. And to live, we need to be thinking right. Which means we must shrink our thinking error rate.

Through a structured approach called Six Sigma for the Soul^TM, you can reach and sustain a state of better (error-free) thought and better living. Here are some baby steps to get you started.

1. Learn from crisis: Almost always the journey inward or the flowering of internal awareness (a.k.a spirituality) happens when we are confronted with a crisis. When crisis hits us, we often ask,”why me?” The fact is we don’t like to be in a spot. But the truth also is that we are. So, instead of asking why me, ask what you can learn from the experience. This introspection will lead to your thinking decisive thoughts aimed at challenging and changing the status quo.

2. Drop Anchor: Still the mind: This simply means practice calmness. Avoid both guilt and anxiety like plague. Wake up at 4 AM. And in the stillness of the morning, sit quietly with eyes closed in a place of your choice at home where you will not be disturbed, in any posture that suits you, and start thinking about your life and relationships, your goals for the day, for the week, the month and year. Focus on what gives you joy__and savor the moment. Focus also on people whose behavior you don’t like. And practice giving them a mental hug. Love these people in your mind. Your mind will fight you. It will try to position your painful experiences and problem people as unforgettable and unforgivable. But you fight back. Drive the vengeful and pity-seeking thoughts away. Go back to loving thoughts. Do this every day, for 21 days, for an hour each day. Make sure your silence period is not interrupted. If it is start your silence hour all over again. If you hear ambient sounds, like the clock ticking, a door opening, footsteps, the door bell, tell yourself that you don’t hear those. Order your mind to concentrate on the silence period. Believe me, you will gain control of your mind. And you will become calm. You will soon stop reacting to people and events. And this will bring more sanity and peace to you__even if it doesn’t mend a relationship or a situation immediately.

3. Know that expectations bring agony: All our suffering is from needing things, people’s behavior or events to be different. We can want things or people or events to be different. There is nothing wrong with wanting. It is the needing that must go. Needing brings expectations that bring agony. So each time your mind begins to crave for something to be different, restrain it.

4.Surrender totally: Know that nothing in this Universe, not even this piece that you are reading__or whatever brings you pain, joy, money, or your relationships__has come to you or been given to you without being part of a larger cosmic design. The Masterplan (The Master’s Plan actually) has no flaws. Every challenging situation is an opportunity for The Master to remind us that you are not the Boss. So, just surrender totally. Each moment, just ask the Lord to lead the way and say, “I surrender”. That works magic like nothing else will ever.

The Learnings:

1. Want what you get: that's happiness
2. With peace and happiness life ceases to be a worry game
3. Expectations bring agony: acceptance is a good antidote there
4. The Master's Plan has no flaws
5. It is what it is