Blogger Zat Rana told how patterns of thinking affect us and how to develop them.
From the point of view of popular psychology, habit formation is a simple loop: trigger, habitual action, reward. In the world around us, we encounter something that serves as a trigger. The latter triggers an action that we have learned to perform in similar circumstances during previous experience. The reward we receive for the action becomes reinforcement of the loop. This is how a habit arises.
Take a closer look at your daily life, and you will notice such loops in it. Our brain is designed to search for patterns. We recognize and assimilate them so that we can use them later in the future.
Habits help us not to waste time thinking when we find ourselves in similar situations, and thus save energy.
In the same way as habitual actions, habitual patterns of thinking are formed. As we grow up, we learn to recognize patterns around us and internalize what seems valuable. But over time, we get stuck in these thought loops, which is why we only see events from one side. That's partly why it's difficult for us to change our mind about a particular subject. The brain has learned something in one context and then mistakenly tries to apply it in others.
It is not necessary to break the habit loops, although it is possible. Just don't forget about them and don't let them limit your thinking.
No one in the world thinks in an absolutely identical way, because everyone's life is at least a little different. Each of us faces different problems at different times and reacts to them in our own way. This reaction depends on our natural qualities and upbringing.
Different patterns of thinking are exactly what makes everyone themselves. Our identity is formed from the interaction of these models. They create a subjective perception of a person.
In fact, a model of thinking is a hidden rule of thumb by which we link together different sides of reality.
And since reality is very complex, it is useful to have many models of thinking in your arsenal. The more diverse they are, the more accurate the idea of the world.
Such models consist of loops of habits that are formed in response to external impressions. Therefore, the only way to diversify them is to look for new and contradictory impressions. For example, reading books, visiting unfamiliar surroundings, conducting thought experiments.
In the process of development, we form habitual patterns of behavior and thinking. We unconsciously use them to avoid wasting cognitive resources every time. The problem is that it is very easy to get stuck in one familiar model. After all, it does not suit all situations, as a result of which misunderstanding and discontent arise.
To avoid this, learn as many different patterns of thinking as possible. Ideally, you should notice when you use the wrong one and switch to another one.
