The mind is like a parachute, it only works when it's open
Clearly the author of this has never walked down the aisles of a convenience store while wearing a parachute. Closed parachutes work superbly when the people wearing them have their feet on the ground. Open parachutes work great in free fall.
Closed minds are a problem when "unconscious incompetence" is getting acted out. The autopilot is "missing the destination and flying into the ground". A chronic bad habit needs to be broken. Antagonistic bigotry begs for a comeuppance. Over-zealous determination asks for a wake-up call. A persistent bubble of idealism is "cruising for a bruising" by some realism.
When we switch from a problematic closed mind to an open mind, several other changes occur. What we did without thinking -- now takes lots of mental processing. What occurred to us faster than we could reason through -- now slows down for elaborate consideration. What took no energy to "jump to the same old conclusions" -- now drains our stamina while we rethink our basic assumptions and routines.
While our minds are open, we learn to stop doing more harm than good. We realize how we've been affecting other people and figure out how to touch the world gently. We change strategies by changing the premises that our priorities were based upon. We disrupt our literal interpretation and play around with what-if questions. We consider different combinations of resources and formulate a beneficial synthesis of opposing constraints.
Open minds are a problem when we need focus, speed and stamina. We close our minds again to get into a flow state. We then act out our "unconscious competence" in the moment. We do the right thing without slowing down to think it through. We suspend our analytical reactions and lose ourselves in the activity. What comes to mind will be seen as perfect timing, balance, proportioned response -- when considered in hindsight. While we are getting continually inspired, the flow state will simply evoke gratitude: "Yes! Sweet! Awesome! Thank You!"
"Clearly the author of this has never walked down the aisles of a convenience store while wearing a parachute. Closed parachutes work superbly when the people wearing them have their feet on the ground. Open parachutes work great in free fall."
ReplyDeleteI love this example!