High IQ Needed to Make Good Life Decisions?
No!
You don't really need to read the rest of this. I am going to tell you that anyone except those truly disabled can make good decisions every day, all day long, by doing all activities consciously.
What am I talking about? Here is an example of someone who lives unconsciously and just operates by habit. They are getting on the freeway and after getting onto the freeway they immediately get in the left/fast lane even if no other cars are around. If you ask them why, they will have a bunch of answers like the road is usually bumpier in the right lane. Or, someone might be getting on the freeway and I will have to get over then anyways. Or, my dad always did this and taught me to drive this way. Or, fill in the blanks.
The bottom line is - that person has stopped thinking anymore about what is happening to them in the moment. They are living in another space and time and not reacting to what is happening right then.
What would conscious driving look like? We all know that when driving on the freeway, it is expected you stay in the right lane except for passing. We would get on the freeway and and stay in the right lane until needing to pass a slower vehicle. We would move over into the left lane and then safely move back into the right lane.
Many people in this example, don't want to do this because it means more actions and decision-making on their part. They have to look in their rear view mirror more, They have to turn around and look to make sure no vehicles are in their blind spot. They have to put their blinkers on. If another car is approaching from the rear or they are overtaking another vehicle, they have to compute time/distance/velocity and decide if they can safely change lanes. All those activities may be more than what they are comfortable doing, so they take the easy unconscious way out. They become a zombie.
Other easy examples are choosing the food you eat. Patterns of food consumption have been established over the years and you just do what you have always done.
You go to the same fast food place or restaurant and order the same thing and just eat it down without pondering once about why or what you eat. Happily you sit in front of the TV or drive (I hope not) down the road just stuffing the food in your mouth and never giving it a second thought.
How do these examples relate to making good life decisions? These are the little things that if you get in the habit of doing consciously can inculcate a way of living that can be used for all life decisions. Even if you don't fancy yourself the most brilliant person on your block it doesn't matter. The brilliant person who walks around unaware and unthinking will not make any better decisions than someone who is in tune with themselves and their surroundings taking all into consideration.
I posit that the person with a lesser IQ who acts consciously will be more successful in life, be happier, accomplish more, and end up a more well-rounded person than the one with a higher native intelligence. That is because acting consciously creates a foundation for living that you can then build on everyday. The genius who goes through life as an unquestioning zombie that only uses their intelligence at work or when asked by someone else will have a much harder time accomplishing goals and important life tasks.
What can the average person do? Start with the activities you do the most. Pay attention to everything in the moment using all five senses.
Look at what is going on around you. Really look. What am I saying here? Think about this. Have you ever been out walking with someone and say "did you see that person over there just eat that big gulp cup?". Oh no, I missed that.
How could you not see something so incredibly weird? The answers my friend are that we scan what is around us and don't really see what is going on most of the time. It is very difficult to change this habit but you can do it. Make it a game with someone to notice as many details as possible.
Do this with your other senses. Listen to every little sound for just two minutes. Smell intently for a couple minutes. Try to feel every little change in the ground while walking. What are you tasting right now even if nothing is in your mouth? There are still subtle tastes there from the food you ate or the coffee you drank two hours ago.
What do these little exercises have to do with making good life decisions? Going back to the points earlier. If you are more self-aware of what is going on all the time you will be a more conscious and aware place in your life. You will understand nuance naturally. For example, when someone is talking to you about an important subject by having a better ability to concentrate you will hear them better. You will pick up subtle clues in their expression to better understand what they are trying to say.
And, like the silly meme to the right here, there are practical considerations to being more self-aware. You will significantly reduce your incidence rate of doing silly and unsafe things. You will not trip as often. You will make fewer faux pas in social situations. The conversations you have will be more rewarding. You will get out of your own head more because you are aware of everything happening around you. Maybe your life will change for the better.
You don't really need to read the rest of this. I am going to tell you that anyone except those truly disabled can make good decisions every day, all day long, by doing all activities consciously.
What am I talking about? Here is an example of someone who lives unconsciously and just operates by habit. They are getting on the freeway and after getting onto the freeway they immediately get in the left/fast lane even if no other cars are around. If you ask them why, they will have a bunch of answers like the road is usually bumpier in the right lane. Or, someone might be getting on the freeway and I will have to get over then anyways. Or, my dad always did this and taught me to drive this way. Or, fill in the blanks.
The bottom line is - that person has stopped thinking anymore about what is happening to them in the moment. They are living in another space and time and not reacting to what is happening right then.
What would conscious driving look like? We all know that when driving on the freeway, it is expected you stay in the right lane except for passing. We would get on the freeway and and stay in the right lane until needing to pass a slower vehicle. We would move over into the left lane and then safely move back into the right lane.
Many people in this example, don't want to do this because it means more actions and decision-making on their part. They have to look in their rear view mirror more, They have to turn around and look to make sure no vehicles are in their blind spot. They have to put their blinkers on. If another car is approaching from the rear or they are overtaking another vehicle, they have to compute time/distance/velocity and decide if they can safely change lanes. All those activities may be more than what they are comfortable doing, so they take the easy unconscious way out. They become a zombie.
Other easy examples are choosing the food you eat. Patterns of food consumption have been established over the years and you just do what you have always done.
How do these examples relate to making good life decisions? These are the little things that if you get in the habit of doing consciously can inculcate a way of living that can be used for all life decisions. Even if you don't fancy yourself the most brilliant person on your block it doesn't matter. The brilliant person who walks around unaware and unthinking will not make any better decisions than someone who is in tune with themselves and their surroundings taking all into consideration.
I posit that the person with a lesser IQ who acts consciously will be more successful in life, be happier, accomplish more, and end up a more well-rounded person than the one with a higher native intelligence. That is because acting consciously creates a foundation for living that you can then build on everyday. The genius who goes through life as an unquestioning zombie that only uses their intelligence at work or when asked by someone else will have a much harder time accomplishing goals and important life tasks.
What can the average person do? Start with the activities you do the most. Pay attention to everything in the moment using all five senses.
Look at what is going on around you. Really look. What am I saying here? Think about this. Have you ever been out walking with someone and say "did you see that person over there just eat that big gulp cup?". Oh no, I missed that.
Do this with your other senses. Listen to every little sound for just two minutes. Smell intently for a couple minutes. Try to feel every little change in the ground while walking. What are you tasting right now even if nothing is in your mouth? There are still subtle tastes there from the food you ate or the coffee you drank two hours ago.
What do these little exercises have to do with making good life decisions? Going back to the points earlier. If you are more self-aware of what is going on all the time you will be a more conscious and aware place in your life. You will understand nuance naturally. For example, when someone is talking to you about an important subject by having a better ability to concentrate you will hear them better. You will pick up subtle clues in their expression to better understand what they are trying to say.
Here is the answer to the bear puzzle and a few others if you want to play the games.
Comments