Sunday, October 09, 2005

10 Dumbest Mistakes Smart People Make

I recently went to my favorite used bookstore to get a copy of a couple of books I wanted. Although I didn't find the ones I was looking for, I left with 4 others that I didn't know I wanted until I saw them, and then couldn't figure out how I could have lived without them.

One book I picked up is titled "The 10 Dumbest Mistakes Smart People Make" by Dr. Arthur Freeman and Rose DeWolf. I especially like it because the preface was written by Aaron Beck, whose work, like that of Albert Elllis, focuses on self-talk, irrational beliefs, and changing one's perspective with techniques like neuro-linguistic programming and such.

Anyway - for the next 10 days, as an effort to stay on top of this blog, (while also exercising my writing muscles), I will be covering the Top 10 Mistakes that Smart People (like you) Make, and How to Avoid Them.

Today we focus on WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY OUR THINKING MISTAKES (also sometimes called "stinking thinking")

THINKING THAT YOU KNOW BETTER

Aha! Alhtough this is not officially one of the 10 dumbest mistakes, I do consider it one, and one I make a lot. I often find myself thinking that because I KNOW better, I should be incapable of acting inappropriately or making any kinds of mistakes. Dumb mistake, in and of itself. I have countless times experienced situations in which I knew better than to say, do, or act the way I did, and yet did it or said it anyway. How could I? How could I be so dumb? I know better than to do that! What was I thinking?

Unfortunately, as we all must realize at some point, at certain times, and in certain circumstances, it is virtually guaranteed that your SMARTS will desert you, and that knowing better won't make one iota of difference.

One time that this may happen is under duress. We all have different threshholds of tolerance for stress and anxiety; but when the brain's chemistry is altered by being under a significant level of unmanageable sensory overload, the effect can be complete abandon of all sense. You might even say that your brain is not within your voluntary control.

Identifying those times, and working to lower one's stress threshhold will help; in the meantime, just follow this blog for the next 10 days, to start to identify how, where, and if you are a smart person who makes dumb mistakes, and start to work on avoiding them.

Tomorrow: Mistake Number One

Chicken Little Syndrome

1 comment:

Ms. Stark's Blog said...

Frank came to class four weeks into the 1st quarter. Swaggering and loud...big and intimidating he persona took on "I am here...look out!". I immediately felt my defenses go up...and internally was saying oh boy, this one will not last. I didn't say it but during the 1st week Frank challenged my authority, disrupted the class and generally made a daily nuisance of himself. I held my tongue but nagging thoughts of how do I get rid of him still lingered and threatened to surface. I kept telling myself "don't do dumb" when I would like to have cheerfully liked to have boxed his ears. I have recently read John Assaraf's book "Having It All" and am intrigued by the multiple intelligence overview of individuals and way each type is demonstrated. Check it out...its free: Your Powerful Brain free chapter Blog link: http://www.johnassaraf.com/blog/2007/10/31/your-powerful-brain/ The day my SMARTS deserted me became a pivotal point in the relationship with Frank. I approach Frank and told him to step into my office in the hall. As he stepped out I began to rant and rave about how rude, obnoxious and in general what a nuisance he was in the class. Frank cocked his head and said very politely...I just wanted to see if you cared...Frank is still brash and brazen and oh so smart. But he knows if I say "Frank" and look him straight in the eye he is doing dumb and I care. By being honest with my student I avoided doing dumb and finding a way to get rid of someone who is worth working with. By the way I have found out through talking to administration that Frank's background has had much to do with his actions and behavior.