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Last updated August, 2021. We keep this site ad-free for our readers. If you get value from what we write, click the link at the end of this article to learn about our newest program, "Instruct your brain."  One of our course participants, Dawn, asks the following question: "I constantly have thoughts of inadequacy. What is the best way to deal with them?" I'll start with a quote from Aristotle: It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. That quote is relevant to Dawn's question. But, I would change it a bit: It is the mark of a liberated (or enlightened) person to entertain a thought without identifying with it. Consider some of your recent thoughts of inadequacy - for simplicity, here are a few we all have at one time or another:
These could be in regard to a relationship, a task, a job, et cetera. What makes them so powerful? They are powerful because we identify with them. We believe "this is who I am":
We indulge these thoughts, and build stories around them. These stories take the form of an inner narrative that constantly plays in our head, perpetuating more thoughts and emotions, all revolving around the belief "this is who I am." It becomes a vicious cycle that can bury us in a landslide of mental noise...in this case, about how inadequate we are! Refer back to our examples above. You can take the path of trying to resist these thoughts. Maybe you work to convince yourself that you are good enough, that you aren't a failure, that you are deserving. Maybe you try to silence them through sheer willpower, constantly repeating to yourself:
Or, you can take the path of accepting these thoughts as true, and end up wallowing in self-doubt. As the days go by, they become ingrained and cause you to develop (and reinforce) a negative self-image, which only serves to sabotage your longer-term happiness and well-being. Regardless of which path you take, you are still identifying with thoughts. Whether you believe them to be true or false, "identifying" leads to self-imposed suffering. It conditions your behavior, and leads to habitual actions and reactions. The good news is, there's a better way to deal with thoughts. That way is to recognize they are simply thoughts, and to understand they hold power over you only because you view them as personal and permanent. And, you can change this "personal and permanent" view. You can learn to observe thoughts without getting caught up in them. You can see thoughts for what they truly are: temporary phenomena that come and go (arise and pass). When you understand their temporary nature through direct experience, it's easier to stop identifying with them, and to stop chasing after what you consider "pleasant" and running away from what you consider "unpleasant." As you practice this, you will eventually learn to say "There are those thoughts again. I'm watching them come (arise), and I won't indulge them. I choose to move my attention away from them, and let them be as they are until they go (pass)." Is it really that simple? Yes, it is. Your attention causes thoughts to persist - when you indulge them, they become "sticky" and give rise to more thoughts. But, when you move your attention away from them, they will go the same as they came. They may return, but you repeat this process again. Eventually, without your attention to energize them, they will stop being as persistent. This is the basis for mindfulness and meditation. While simple, it does take consistent practice. And, that's the problem for most people: consistent practice takes time and effort. And time and effort is, well, time and effort. We procrastinate. We forget. We prioritize other things ahead of it. We get comfortable in our suffering, and decide to accept the status quo. There's no "magic pill" to get you to take action. You simply have to make the decision to do it, and start doing it. If you decide to start, you'll find the effort is worth it. In fact, it's one of the most important things you can do for your happiness and well-being. So, decide now. Get started. And go do it! Your thoughts are as transient as the clouds in the sky - learn to watch them float by. You don't have to attach to them. You don't have to build a story around them. You don't have to identify with them. You don't have to follow your mind wherever it leads. If there is any "secret" to life, this is it! But, most people won't accept it. It's too simple. And, if they do accept it, they won't practice - they won't put in the time and effort. Don't be like most people! Addendum to the original article: Many readers asked about thoughts of superiority as opposed to thoughts of inadequacy. These are two sides of the same coin. Some examples:
Identifying with them ("this is who I am") leads to conditioned behavior, and habitual actions and reactions. As we see time and again, thoughts of superiority can cause actions that are detrimental to yourself and others. And, when those thoughts are contradicted by reality, the resulting crash is devastating ("Wait, I'm not better than...I'm not smarter than..."). Instruct your brainIf you’re like most people today, your brain keeps you in a constant state of fight-or-flight. As a result, your nervous system is always "amped up."
Unfortunately, this causes A LOT of suffering. Whether it’s chronic pain, sleep problems, gastrointestinal disorders, or a plethora of other symptoms, your brain can wreak havoc on your body. We help people calm down their nervous system and improve their quality of life - click here to find out more. Comments are closed.
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