The prospect asked me, (a bit too sarcastically for my liking….), “What do you mean ‘think accurately’?”
I thought about it for a moment and said, “My father used to say, ‘Trust God and have a plan.’ To me, accurate thinking is ‘the plan’ and everything else that I can’t control, I leave for God to sort out.”
I don’t remember if we ever ended up working together but I can tell you that as I studied how Napoleon Hill teaches accurate thinking this morning, a story popped into my head to illustrate the value of accurate thinking.
(First the definition… then the story… desserts after vegetables!) ☺️
Accurate Thinking – Defined
“The accurate thinker adopts a standard, by which he guides himself, and he follows the standard at all times, whether it works always to his immediate advantage, or carries him, now, and then, through the fields of disadvantage, as it undoubtedly will.” – Napoleon Hill
I’ve heard people call themselves “system thinkers” and I love that term. (To be clear, I’m not working to define the difference between system thinking and accurate thinking- that’s a whole other post for a future time.)
There are a few different styles of system thinking but generally, there is a specific problem that arises, a hypothesis is constructed, then the hypothesis is tested, adjusted and modified, and eventually changes are implemented to address the specific problem.
I first learned of this deliberate thinking when I read “The Oz Principle” by Connors, Smith, and Hickman. (A gift from a manager at an old company/follow the link to purchase the book on Amazon.)
In their book, they teach that solving issues is simple. (Well… maybe not simple… but the system is… HA!)
These are their main principles:
- The ProcessA. See the problem B. Own the problem C. Solve the problem D. Do the solution
- The ThinkingA. Stay “Above the Line” (Think positively during the process.)B. When you find yourself below the line, use a device to snap yourself back “Above the Line.” (They recommend a rubber band to “snap” yourself out of the thinking.)
No matter what different types of system thinking I’ve encountered, that lesson has always summed up how I view the thinking I use when breakdowns arise.
Here’s the thing- most people don’t have any system by which they think through issues in their lives.
From what I’ve observed over the last decade in management and education, humans generally let their biology take over and solve each problem as it occurs. (To random outcomes.)
It may work out for them sometimes, but over time they may get frustrated, exhausted, stressed, overworked, and simply unhappy. (And I don’t want any of that.)
System thinking allows for people to move to the process when in breakdown and more often than not, leads to outcomes that are more favorable toward a specific outcome. (Over and over and over and over…)
Napoleon Hill goes on to say that Accurate Thinkinginvolves two fundamental principles.
- In order for one to think accurately they must separate facts from mere information.
- They must separate facts into two classes: the important and the unimportant, or the relevant and the irrelevant.
All ‘facts’ that may be used in the attainment of our chief aims are important and relevant; all that you cannot use are unimportant and irrelevant.
Clear, factual, and well-grounded assessments are vital to this way of acting.
The system doesn’t change- even though the thoughts and biology that come forth with each breakdown may be wildly different.
Accurate Thinking – A Story
An old man lived in a village with his orphaned grandson.
One day, when the grandson was doing his chores, he forgot to latch the gate and the grandfather’s prized horse ran away.
The townsfolk came to the man and exclaimed, “What misfortune!”
The old man said, “Maybe.” and went about his day.
The next day the horse came back to the farm and brought two other beautiful, wild horses with it!
The townsfolk came to the man and said, “What fortune!”
The old man said, “Maybe.” and went about his day.
A week later the boy was training one of the new horses and it kicked him and severely damaged the boy’s leg.
The boy was rushed to the hospital and the doctor told the man, “He will never walk normally. He will always have a limp.”
The townsfolk came to the man and said, “What misfortune!”
The old man said, “Maybe.” and went about his day.
A few years later, the old man’s country went to war, and the infantry went up and down the hillside looking for able-bodied men to join- they took one look at the boy and passed him up due to his disability.
The townsfolk came to the man and said, “What fortune!”
The old man said, “Maybe.” and went about his day…
The story could go on like this for a long time and the man would continue his thinking.
It didn’t sway based on the immediately perceived problem/benefit- he just stayed in his calm, stoic demeanor, and moved forward, mostly unbothered by what life threw at him.
Accurate Thinking – Conclusion
Most people I deal with, while incredibly educated and clever, don’t have a system or mode of thinking to help them plan for what’s ahead.
Generally, they rely on magical thinking and proceed without completing some or all of these steps:
- Seeing a problem
- Owning a problem
- Solving a problem
- Doing the solution
What thinking do you employ when you have a breakdown or “collapse of function.”
What does your automatic thinking suggest and is it consistently serving you?
It doesn’t have to be my systematic thinking or process, but you ought to have a process by which you move towards the most important things in life. (I’m biased, but I think mine’s the best! 😆)
In this post, I’ve provided a link to The Oz Principle, and below, there is a video we use to describe our method of thinking and how it works in business and with other humans. (I think you’ll enjoy both.)
Accurate thinking is more difficult to put in place than magical thinking, but over time, it becomes a wonderful way to move in the world, mostly unaffected, but when everyone sees the breakdowns that you’re facing, and screams “What misfortune!”
You can look them dead in the eye and say, “Maybe.”
(Watch a video with a detailed explanation of Influential U’s approach, here.)