Thought loops. Those little things that scurry around in our head without ceasing. It seems we get so used to the noise in our heads that we seldom take note of what we are thinking. We all have thought loops that go round and round in our mind. Some are helpful, some not so much. A helpful thoughtloop may sound like this: “I’m an overcomer, I have the ability to solve problems that come my way”. An unhelpful thoughtloop may sound like this “I’m going to be stuck in this position forever, I’m never going to get out of this”. Whether we take notice of our thinking patterns or not, we are on the train, heading down the path our mind has set before us.
In his book, “Mind Hacking”, Sir John Hargrave recommends noticing where our thinking takes us. The author teaches on the exercise the Five Whys and how it compels us to recognize and confront our thoughts. Here’s how it works: in the Five Whys exercise, you first must notice and identify a thought. Once you have identified your thought, you ask the question “why”. Each time you get a response, you ask “why” again. You do this five times.
The Five Whys exercise causes you to drill down to uncover the core issue or belief behind your thoughtloop. This exercise goes beyond the surface. If your thought is a flower, the Five Whys is like plucking each petal before pulling out the root. Allow me to unfold the Five Whys, by digging out what I have been tussling with.
The Five Why’s in application:
- Thought: I’m never going to get my blog up and running.
- Why? Because I don’t have time.
- Why? Because I work a full time job.
- Why? Because I need income.
- Why? Because I haven’t launched my writing career.
- Why? Because I’m scared I’ll fail.
By going through the Five Whys, I have identified a core belief that is behind my thought loop. Now that I have found the root (fear), it’s time to exterminate it (more on that later).
Whether we notice or not, our thoughts are taking us on a ride. You don’t have to stay on the rollercoaster your mind takes you on. You can step back, step off and decide for a better today.