For truthseekers
Three Point Essay | 3 steps to getting closer to seeing reality
I. Step 1: Acknowledge your lack of knowledge and capacity for being wrong
People laugh at past generations of humans for their lack of knowledge. For their strange habits. For their ridiculous beliefs.
Yet future generations will laugh at us in the same manner. I imagine our time might even get labeled as the dark ages, part two.
Run this thought experiment with yourself:
Consider an older version of you. Think about his/her habits and ways of thinking. Likely, you'll wonder how you could’ve been so stupid. But who's to say your future self won't wonder the same thing about you, right now?
Every once in a while it's smart to entertain the idea that all the things you believe are wrong. That everything swirling around your mind is inaccurate. A misconception; a lie; a falsity.
The purpose of this exercise is not to make yourself feel bad. Its to make you realize two basic facts:
If you think you know a lot, you're an idiot.
If you think everything you believe is correct, you’re an idiot^2.
The intelligent human is aware that they don't know that much. The intelligent human is aware that there is no limit to learning. The intelligent human is aware that the greatest enemy of knowledge is the illusion of knowledge.
There are two qualities you can use to avoid delusions about your intelligence: curiosity and humility. Implicit in both of these characteristics is admitting your own ignorance, your own fallibility.
Exercising these traits will help you win the battle your Higher Mind and your Primitive Mind are fighting 24/7:
Every human—more or less—is capable of tapping into their Primitive or Higher Mind in any given situation.
“The higher mind is always happy to make a revision. Because when beliefs are revised, it’s a signal of progress—of becoming less ignorant, less foolish, less wrong” writer Tim Urban explains, “Your Primitive Mind disagrees.”
Urban points out that “The Primitive Mind’s beliefs are usually installed early on in life, often based on the prevailing beliefs of your family, peer group, or broader community. The Primitive Mind sees those beliefs as a fundamental part of your identity and a key to remaining in good standing with the community around you.”
Therefore the biggest difference between these two aspects of every human mind is that “the Higher Mind’s goal is to get to the truth, while the Primitive Mind’s goal is confirmation of its existing beliefs.”
Thinking you know a lot and pursuing ‘being right’ is Primitive Mind behavior. Using your curiosity to pursue the truth is Higher Mind behavior.
II. Step 2: Read, read, and read more + ask questions
With curiosity, humility, and awareness of the Primitive/Higher Mind, your equipped to take the first step on the road to greatness.
Inevitably, you turn to books.
Through reading, you learn much. But most importantly, you learn that the more you know, the more you know you don’t know, so it’s said.
You realize the only solution to your ignorance is to become an explorer, and set sail through the endless waves of wisdom the human species has generated. In doing this, you become more and more aware of your lack of sophistication. But the weight of thinking you know so much, or need to have an opinion on everything, is lifted off your shoulders.
Your mind is free to be like an inquisitive child again.
You ask more questions. You develop a greater respect for people who do stuff you don't understand. You become addicted to the moments when you’re reading a book and the light bulb buzzes above your head. You crave the eureka moments that nourish your intellect.
III. Step 3: Write, Review, Re-write, Repeat
But through all your reading a problem arises.
You realize you need to develop a system for better understanding the books you’ve devoured. So you can actually apply the lessons in your life.
You start making highlights in books and taking notes, editing your notes, taking more notes, and then writing about what you’ve read and experienced over and over, again and again, consolidating your learning.
You fall in love with this process. You feel writing supercharging your mind in a virtuous cycle—your memory improves; you become a more articulate speaker; you become more persuasive; you see more beauty in the world with all your new perspectives.
But the best part is that through writing, you tumble down the endless rabbit hole of self-discovery.
Instead of spending all your time being bombarded with external stimuli—other people’s words, social media, books, TV, podcasts—you spend some time creating.
You do this because you become more aware of the level in which all the external stimuli influence your thoughts. You realize that the only way to make sense of your thoughts is to write about them.
So you begin to journal. You start organizing your thoughts on paper. You’re surprised to see that you yourself often have no idea what you think about something. You realize how many of your beliefs are an embarrassing regurgitation of the exact thing a friend, family member, or media personality said, that you didn’t question or look into further.
You notice that you only become fully aware of your beliefs when you express them. You see that writing allows you to save thoughts and look at them. And when reviewing your saved thoughts you ask yourself things like:
Do I really believe this?
How accurate is this?
Does this even make sense?
Through making this a habit you become more intelligent. You become more self-aware. You become more confident. You become more grateful for other people and life itself. You become a positive influence on the people around you.
You want the truth more than you want to be correct. No matter how uncomfortable, weird, or painful the truth is. Your awareness begins awakening.
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Jeff Sullivan’s Three Pointers
HOLA CARNAL! SOLID!-JIM