Possibility Thinking, the
forerunner to Creative Thinking Secrets
Possibility Thinking, unfolding Creative Thinking Secrets - a
Paradigm Mindset Shift
Another Teach Yourself Module
This online teach yourself lesson
is provided free to visitors, so that interested scholarly type of persons can
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. THE HUMAN BRAIN
2. THE THOUGHT PROCESS
3. POSSIBILITY THINKING
4. THE WIZARD
5. HOW TO CHANGE
6. THE POWER OF IMAGINATION
7. COMFORT ZONES
8. THE SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY
9. SUCCESSFUL SELF-MOTIVATION
10. SIMULATION THROUGH AFFIRMATIONS
11. SELF-TEST QUESTIONS
12. TASK ASSIGNMENT
13. SOLUTIONS TO PUZZLES
14. BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. THE HUMAN BRAIN:
1.1 General:
The right side of the brain controls the left side of the body and the left side
of the brain controls the right side of the body.
Furthermore, the right side is the creative and artistic part, while the left
side is the logic part. These parts are, however, interlinked.
You also get the conscious part and the subconscious part.
The conscious part has a direct link to the sensory systems. The subconscious is
where the information will be stored for later retrieval. The human brain
remains one of the most unfathomable wonders of creation and a great deal about
its functions is still a big mystery.
1.2 Purpose of this module:
The purpose of this module is to supply you with knowledge so that you can:
- understand the great power of the subconscious;
- utilise that power to improve yourself and others; and
- write your own affirmations.
2. THE THOUGHT PROCESS:
2.1 The human mind:
2.1.1. Conscious part
- Interpret the outside world through the senses: ear, eye, nose, mouth, touch;
- Perceive information;
- Associate information with experience; file in the subconscious;
- Evaluate information;
- Decide how to act, feel or behave towards information.
2.1.2 Subconscious part
2.1.2.1 Recording of conditioning
Information
Experiences
Practised actions
Habits
Feelings
Attitudes
Opinions
Storage of perceived version of reality
2.1.2.2 Control of Parasympathetic nervous system
Heartbeat
Breathing
Digestion
Impulsive reflexes
2.1.3 Creative Subconscious
2.1.3.1 The Personifier
Compels you to act according to your self-image
2.1.3.2 The problem-solver
Works on problems/challenges without your knowing it
2.1.3.3 The stress equaliser
Source of drive and motivation to get psychological harmony
2.1.3.4 The goal orienter
Where am I going? What do I want to achieve? How am I doing?
The subconscious part of the brain is where perceived realities will be stored;
what we allow through, sanction or accept as beliefs. In other words what we
condition ourselves to.
2.2 THE PROBLEM:
Our conditioning becomes barriers
to ourselves, because we do not want to believe otherwise; we rule out new
growth options. Furthermore, our self-image can be inhibiting, also barring out
options. What do you see?
This is an example of conditioning. Can you see the
comb, the vice, the Indian? What else can you see?
2.3 THE SOLUTION:
Break out of your conditioned frame
of mind and become open-minded.
Improve your self-image so that you can allow your subconscious to drive you
towards acting out that new image.
2.4 THE NATURAL CREATIVE SUBCONSCIOUS PROCESS:
2.4.1 Conflict - the subconscious picture differs from the current picture.
2.4.2 Incubation - the subconscious begins to work on the problem to get the
solution.
2.4.3 Illumination - the moment of clarity when the solution pops up.
2.4.4 Creative implementation - the second illuminated solution to complete a
task.
3. POSSIBILITY THINKING:
We all tend to have pre-conceived
beliefs in our thinking processes, due to circumstantial influences throughout
our lives, also called conditioning. We base our beliefs on how we perceive the
truth, which can be false or a half truth.
Therefore we only see what we believe or expressed another way, we only want to
see what we believe.
Our pre-conceived ideas or beliefs tend to create a narrow tunnel vision, so that
we develop blind spots for other possible options.
We imprison ourselves by our thinking (later on referred to as inhibitive
motivation).
Try and connect all nine dots with four straight lines, without lifting
the pen and without retracing any line.
O
O O
O
O O
O
O O
As you look at the next image, you alternately see one picture and then the
other. The white part conveys one picture and the black part another.
That is exactly how we must open our minds and our way of thinking, so that we
are able to see other possibilities.
Do you have pre-conceived ideas about yourself, your marriage, your children,
your colleagues etc.?
We tend to receive information that underscores our views, so that we lock out
other information which may lead to more productive ways.
What do you see in the picture underneath?
The moral of the story is that we imprison ourselves by our limiting ways of
thinking. Do not be too strong-willed or opinionated, but open your thinking and
become a possibility thinker. Start to believe more in yourself!
4. THE WIZARD (DERIVED FROM THE
FABLE "THE WIZARD OF OZ"):
So, we react according to the
truth, but the truth as we perceive or believe it to be. Because of these
limiting thoughts, we are partially blind to other information and react to
partial truths or false beliefs.
When a person of authority like a teacher, tells a child that he or she is
clumsy or dumb, the child programs that negative statement and files it in the
subconscious of the mind and the child may start acting according to that false
belief.
We once held the belief that the planet earth was flat and people reacted on
that belief, although it was in fact false!
We allow others to talk ourselves into our own flat worlds; we sometimes talk
ourselves into it! Because we have listened to authoritative negative wizards
throughout our lives, we surround ourselves with psychological barriers in our
minds.
Now is the time to break away from the negative spiral of barriers and tell
yourself positive things about yourself. Become your own positive wizard. The
more you tell it to yourself, the more you will come to believe it and act it
out!
The moral of the story is that a person will try to react according to what the
subconscious mind believes and all you have to do is change that belief
(self-image).
5. HOW TO CHANGE:
We were not born with our habits,
attitudes and self-images but we gradually developed them. It is not like a
hereditary trait or disease in the genes or cells. We can group habits,
attitudes and self-images as psychological beliefs!
|
Legend |
|
Habits – learned actions like tying a shoe string, driving a
car
Conditioning – filed beliefs
Self-image – the total of all your opinions about yourself
Attitudes – the emotional feeling or pre-conceived opinion
Visualisation – what it will be like without the problem; Imprinting –
clearness created by the spirit of the word; Imagery – see the new
picture
Changed habits, attitudes and self-image |
That is why it is possible to change them.
Because of their psychological basis, we can change them by means of
psychological methods such as visualisation, imprinting and imagery.
6. THE POWER OF IMAGINATION:
We often hear that a dreamer lives
in his imagination or fantasy. We are all dreamers to a lesser or greater
extent. What happens when you dream of something like being on vacation, down by
the sea walking on the beach or camping beside a picturesque lake? It can be an
enjoyable flight of fancy.
First of all you think out the words with which to describe the scenery to
yourself. Then you get the picture and then you get the good feeling. Sometimes
you may want to dream just to get hold of a good feeling again.
In other words, you can think out something in your imagination, get the image
and then experience the emotion that goes along with it.
The power of language, combined with the power of imagination, combined with the
power of emotion can give you an experience or a belief.
The conscious part of the brain can differentiate between real and imaginary
experiences.
The subconscious however, cannot distinguish the difference.
Therefore, the subconscious part of the brain records an imaginary experience as
reality.
We interpret what we experience or hear, then by self-talk, create an image with
emotion that we accept or allow to go through into the subconscious as a belief.
All our lives we have filed negative words by others as beliefs.
The spirit with which words are uttered give it authority that makes an
impression.
An emotional negative berating in childhood can create a negative imprinted
emotional image, that can transform into a belief.
In other words we have a lot of negative false beliefs about ourselves - our
self-image.
Now, the wonder of it all is that we can change our habits, attitudes and
self-images positively by:
- positive self-talk which brings forth:
- positive pictures which in turn bring forth:
- positive emotion which in turn
- is recorded in the subconscious as a real belief and our creative
subconscious:
- drives us to act out that belief
This positive self-talk is constructive image building.
Lasting change starts from within yourself.
7. COMFORT ZONES:
Your self-image creates an
imaginary comfort zone, where you operate and behave comfortably without any
stress.
Remember, you base your self-image on perceived truths and not necessarily real
truths.
Our comfort zones are inhibiting us not to outstretch the imaginary limits. A
comfort zone is the psychological stress equalizer. It tries to force us back to
a position of minimum stress and discomfort, where the stress equilibrium is at
a normal state.
If your self-image is one of a poor speaker or presenter, you will experience
lots of stress when doing a presentation to a group of people. That is beyond
the limits of your comfort zone.
We all have self-images and corresponding comfort zones about various aspects
and personal traits.
First then, visualise yourself into a new position (good speaker), to manifest a
new self-image (belief). This will help for an upward lift in comfort zones.
Secondly, act out the new belief.
An upward lift in comfort zones causes cognitive dissonance in the conscious
part of the brain, while the subconscious already accepts the new picture or
experiential image as reality. Once real performance underscores the
subconscious belief, the cognitive dissonance disappears. The stress equalizer
function of the subconscious will drive and help you to prove to the conscious
that the imaginary reality is the truth.
You can visualise without any stress. First strive for the new picture, then the
new self-image and then allow your behaviour to act out the new belief.
If you confront new situations, you normally need time to visualise yourself
into the new situation, before you can adapt comfortably to it. So do others.
If you want to help people to adapt quicker to change, help them to visualise
themselves through imagery into the new situation.
8.THE SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY:
(PYGMALION EFFECT)
We have seen so far that we base
our self-images on what we believe about ourselves. If you think you are not
good at something, your behaviour will tend to move towards that belief about
yourself.
On the other hand, if you believe yourself to be good at one or other aspect,
your behaviour will also tend to move towards that belief.
The negative opinions around you can influence you negatively or positively. It
depends on what you yourself make of it with your thoughts. Your thoughts can
also be expressed as self-talk; how you talk to yourself.
You can convert criticism or negative feedback into a better self-image by
positive self-talk. By self-talk, you visualise yourself into a positive or
better position. Your subconscious then drives you to act out that belief
(self-image), which in turn builds and reinforces your self-esteem.
In other words positive self-talk can help you forever to keep on improving your
behaviour, performance and achievements.
Positive talk towards others can help them to build confidence as they act out
and prove to themselves their better self-images and self-esteem.
If you want to influence yourself towards achieving something, tell yourself
what higher or better behaviour or performance you want to achieve in future.
The same principle applies to influencing other people towards better behaviour
in future. Tell them they are far better than they think they are.
The way you talk to yourself and to others must encourage growth and development
and not stifle it. It must build self-image. Then the chance or freedom to act
it out must be present, so that real performance modifies and reinforces higher
self-esteem.
Be a prophet to yourself and to others.
In reflection
on these revelations, ask yourself this question: How much harm do we bestow on
our children and employees by inflicting negative feedback on their self-image?
9. SUCCESSFUL SELF-MOTIVATION
9.1 CLOTHE YOURSELF WITH CONSTRUCTIVE SELF-MOTIVATION:
Different types of motivation and
their effects:
|
Type |
Restrictive
Motivation |
Constructive
Motivation |
|
Sub type |
Inhibitive |
Coercive |
Encouraging |
|
How |
The accumulation of
a lifetime's conditioning of restraining beliefs as sub-conscious
trash. |
Authoritatively
pushing by retributive and threatening styles. |
Democratic style
relying on talents of others. Reinforcing self-image and self- esteem.
Goal-setting by imagination. Through self-talk visualise the
end result; get a clear
picture or image and feel the emotion. Convey it to others. |
|
Personal inner
driving force of the practitioner. |
Fearful of new
methods. Freedom of options ruled out. Rigidity. Inhibiting potential. |
Low value of ability
of others. Use orders and threats. Close supervision, trust of others
low. |
High value of
ability of others. Open-minded with less formal supervision. Trust of
others high. Teaches others to visualise and use their imagination for
goal setting. |
|
How do others
experience it |
Rules, codes, habits
and preferences forced onto others. |
Pre-conceived ideas
forced onto others. |
See clearer picture
of end result. Opinions are listened to. Freedom to think, energy
generation, elation, open communication. |
|
Reactive emotions in
others |
Resentment.
Accountability forsaken. |
Resentment.
Accountability forsaken. |
Self-fulfilment,
self-actualisation, positive self-image. |
|
Reactive behaviour
by others |
Without skills and
energy. Absenteeism |
Push back by
creative avoidance, just to get by (make him shut up). |
Commitment and
co-operation to achieve |
|
Self-esteem in
others |
Lower |
Lower |
Higher |
|
|
|
|
|
True and lasting motivation comes from within. Only you can truly motivate
yourself. To get it from within, you have to put it there.
How do you obtain that? By positive thinking, self-talk, visualisation, imagery,
emotion and a strong intent of achieving the new picture.
If you are subjected to an environment of inhibitive or coercive motivation, you
just have to put more effort into constructive self-motivation. However, if you
operate in an environment of constructive motivation, the process will be much
easier.
In the work environment, it is normal to strive for career improvement or
business improvement. Here visualisation is synonymous with goal-setting. Or to
put it another way, goal-setting and achievement of goals are attained through
the visualisation process. Your imagination allows your subconscious to
experience what you see and your subconscious accepts it as reality. Now your
subconscious takes over and drives you to live up to that subconscious belief or
self-image.
Furthermore you see and utilise opportunities to get you faster to the end goal,
which you would otherwise not have recognised. You remain subconsciously more
aware of opportunities that come your way and you become creative to achieve
your goals.
9.2 CONTINUOUS GOAL-SETTING:
Goal-setting upholds the willingness and eagerness to live. It can be said that
goal-setting is life-giving.
As long as you have goals in life, your psychological system drives and upholds
your physical system to endure and last longer.
Is it not ironic how many people die within five years after retirement? Mainly
because they dry up on goal-setting.
Continuous goal-setting means that you must have goals beyond those that you are
pursuing now. So that you have something else to chase once you have attained
the first one. Otherwise you flatten out and will go through barren periods in
your life.
Apply constructive self-motivation and continuous goal-setting to your family
life, spiritual life, social life and work life.
Teach your children to do the same. They still have great imaginations.
10. SIMULATION THROUGH AFFIRMATIONS:
10.1 HABITS AND ATTITUDES:
In order to grow and broaden your viewpoints, you have to get rid of unnecessary
restrictive habits and attitudes. We all have them. They not only restrict you,
but can be inhibitive on others as well.
For example, why do many housewives believe it necessary to cut off both ends of
a cucumber and grind it with circular movements on the main body? Because their
mothers told them to. How many other similar type of habits do we burden
ourselves with?
Take for instance the question of long hair. Once when short haircuts were in
fashion it was unthinkable for males to have long hair. Now the fathers have
long hair and it is ridiculous for boys to have short hair styles!
What restrictive habits and attitudes are you carrying around that create flat
worlds for you? Do's and don'ts that you want to impose on and instil into
others.
You have to broaden your own comfort zone.
10.2 SIMULATION:
In training of pilots, a simulator is used to represent reality as near as
possible. The pilot sits in the simulator cockpit and experiences what reality
will be like. This is done repeatedly so that the motions are imprinted with
clarity.
Simulation is precisely the method to be used to change habits, attitudes,
behaviour, goals and self-image. The method is termed experiential imagery.
10.3 AFFIRMATIONS:
An affirmation is a positive statement in writing, describing the result you are
longing for, which you can read repeatedly. It is also the tool to be used on
the road to experiential imagery and successful goal achievement.
Remember, if you can see it and feel it, you can have it. Your subconscious will
experience the feeling as reality; as if you are already there, as if it has
already happened! And your subconscious will take you there faster.
10.3.1 PROCEDURE FOR CHANGE:
10.3.1.1 Decide what must change;
10.3.1.2 Structure self-talk to change self-image;
10.3.1.3 Affirm the mental picture of the positive result you want, in writing;
10.3.1.4 Visualise with vivid imagination to get hold of the good feeling;
10.3.1.5 Constantly imprint by repetition; read the affirmation, vividly picture
the result and feel the emotion that goes with the accomplishment of your goal.
10.3.2 PRACTICAL TIPS:
10.3.2.1 Set stretch goals, out of comfort zones, but realistic.
10.3.2.2 Convert the goal into a written affirmation.
10.3.2.3 It must be personal, confidential and suitable for you - not borrowed
from someone else.
10.3.2.4 Write your affirmations in your diary or on cards which you can carry
with you.
10.3.2.5 Put it on audio tapes so you can listen to it on the road to work and
home.
10.3.2.6 Think about affirmations during your normal relaxing periods, namely
before sleep and after awakening. (mostly you will see the light during these
periods, when the subconscious is at its best - now you see it, now you don't -
the subconscious never sleeps)
10.3.2.7 Use positive, forceful and descriptive words to help with picture
clarity and feeling.
10.3.2.8 Use present tense action words.
10.3.2.9 Balance the goals so that you grow in all spheres of your life.
10.3.2.10 If you have difficulty with imagery, think about events in your
earlier life that created exceptional exhilarating feelings and project those
same feelings into the present visualisation.
10.3.2.11 You can have several affirmations simultaneously.
10.3.3 COMMITMENT:
The spirit of intent is what gives power to the words that you use. There must
be an earnest will and yearning to attain the goals, to get commitment from the
subconscious. Use the process consciously and intentionally.
10.3.4 PLEASURABLE JOURNEY:
It is not only arrival at the result which gives pleasure, but also the
day-to-day journey to get there. So, make it pleasurable and enjoyable. Look
forward to each day and each step in this process with gladness and anticipated
expectation.
If you visualise enough to a child what he can expect from school or Christmas,
he will begin to look forward to that day with anticipation. Use it for yourself
as well!
10.3.5 RESILIENCY:
Remember that you will encounter set-backs along the way. Do not let them
side-track you. Be firm, relentless and tenacious. Constantly hop back on route
and replace your pictures with new and better ones. (Shift the goal posts).
10.3.6 EXAMPLE:
|
Goal |
Affirmation
(Accomplished end
result) |
Picture |
|
To own a business |
I am a successful
businessman and enjoy all the fringe benefits that accompany it |
Do a breakdown of
all the fringe benefits and picture it as sub-goals you want to achieve |
|
To increase
production by twenty percent |
We are a successful
team and proud of our achievements in surpassing our targets |
Picture the
production units and the feelings of self-fulfilment that accompany it |
|
To spend more
quality time with my wife |
I have a happy
married life and we enjoy each other as lovers and companions |
Picture the
enjoyment and humour that you and your spouse share with each other |
In reflection
on these revelations, ask yourself this question: How much harm do we bestow on
our children and employees by inflicting negative feedback on their self-image?
11. SELF-TEST QUESTIONS:
1. The subconscious seems to fulfil six main functions. List them. [6]
2. Choose the seven factors below, which can be associated with recording of
conditioning:
a) Information b) Experience c) Heartbeat d) Practised actions e) Habits f)
Feelings g) Attitude h) Breathing i) Digestion j) Opinions k) Impulsive reflexes
[7]
3. Choose the seven factors below, which are the negative results of our
perceived version of reality.
a) Narrow vision b) Illumination c) Possibility thinking d) Blind spots for
other options e) Underscore own views f) Subconscious g) Inhibitive motivation
h) Imprison ourselves i) Conditioning j) Self-image k) Wizard l) Open minded [7]
4. Psychological beliefs are based on three factors. List them. [3]
5. Name three methods that can be used to change psychological beliefs. [3]
6. List the sequential procedure for constructive self-image building. [10]
7. What method can be used to help people to adapt faster to change? [1]
8. Choose the six factors below that can be associated with comfort zones:
a) Cognitive dissonance b) Vacation c) Eating d) Dreaming e) Stress equaliser f)
Skiing g) New picture h) New self-image i) Religion j) Furniture k) Bookkeeping
l) Visualization [6]
9. Choose the relevant five points that can be associated with the "Pygmalion
effect."
a) Negative feedback b) Heartbeat c) Higher self-esteem d) Eyesight e) Positive
self-talk f) Breathing g) Improved self-image h) Spectacles i) Positive feedback
[5]
10. Below are listed three types of motivation. Choose the listed word that best
describes how the type of motivation takes place.
a) Inhibitive restrictive motivation
b) Coercive restrictive motivation
c) Constructive motivation
Words to choose from: Pleasurable, distinctive, enjoyable, conditioning,
tearful, autocratic, synergistic, democratic. [3]
11. Choose the word(s) that best describes the force that drives the
practitioner to use the particular motivation type.
a) Inhibitive motivation
b) Coercive motivation
c) Constructive motivation
Words to choose from: Low trust of others, resentment, rigidity, democratic,
high trust of others, forceful. [3]
12. Persons on the receiving end react with different behaviours to the
different types of motivation. It can either be pushback, co-operation or
withholding skills. Write down which behaviour is applicable to the particular
motivation type.
a) Inhibitive motivation
b) Coercive motivation
c) Constructive motivation [3}
13. The three types of motivation, namely restrictive, coercive and
constructive, influence self-esteem in others either more or less. Indicate
which is applicable to each motivation type by using either "more" or "less."
a) Inhibitive
b) Coercive
c) Constructive [3]
14. Choose and write down the alphabetic codes for the statements that are true:
a) Lasting motivation is enforced upon you.
b) Lasting motivation comes from within oneself.
c) Constructive self-motivation can help to overcome inhibitive motivation.
d) Inhibitive motivation is constructive.
e) Goal setting is life-giving.
f) The subconscious can differentiate between reality and imaginary experiences.
g) Visualization and imagination allow you to experience goal achievement with
emotion.
h) Imaginary goal achievement makes you more aware of opportunities.
i) Imagery is not for adults.
j) Continuous goal-setting upholds the physical system.
k) Simulation can also be described as experiential imagery.
l) An affirmation is poetry.
m) An affirmation is a tool on the road to experiential imagery. [8]
15. The natural creative subconscious process has four steps. Name the steps.
[4]
16. The procedure for change has five steps. Describe them. [10]
17. There are eleven practical tips to help with the process of change. Describe
six. [12]
18. About twelve life areas can be listed that make up total life. List six. [6]
TOTAL [100]
12. TASK ASSIGNMENT:
12.1 The list below makes up the composition of total life. Pick three or more
areas where you would like to change and achieve new goals. Write down the goal
and the affirmation for each.
Personal, Marriage, Family, Physical, Mental, Community, Spiritual, Recreation,
Education, Career, Social, Retirement.
12.2 Follow the procedure in paragraph 10.3.1 for each chosen area and improve
your affirmations as you go through the steps.
12.3 Make use of the tips in paragraph 10.3.2
12.4 Keep at it for two weeks and then compile a report of your experiences (eye
openers, successes, failures, expectations) and your evaluation of this module.
Your affirmations are not to be included in the report. ( +- 2 pages)
13. SOLUTIONS:
Get out of your normal opinionated boundaries:
Realise that other possibilities may also exist:
Old Woman
Young Woman
A top and bottom border has been added. We have been conditioned to read black
letters on a white background. This is however white letters on a black
background. You must see FLY.
In reflection
on these revelations, ask yourself this question: How much harm do we bestow on
our children and employees by inflicting negative feedback on their self-image?
14. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
14.1 The Investment in Excellence Programme - by Eric Felton Associates (Pty.)Ltd.,
1991
14.2 Abc's of the Human Mind - by Readers Digest, 1990
About the Author:
Pierre
du Plessis (MBL, 1982, UNISA) is a business consultant, co-owner of Leaders
Circle, author of several e-books and training manuals, previous Corporate
Logistics and Procurement Manager, ex-army infantry soldier as
Officer in Charge of
Battalion Operations and nowadays business owner of several successful offline
business operations. He is also co-founder of
Career Builders Club.
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