I also want to point out that your version of enlightened skepticism is unfortunately an open door to confirmation bias. That no one has pointed this out you could maybe consider a mark of success.

Lastly, the reticular activating system is not specific, it’s a general attention mechanism.

To be honest, I´ve been reading your blog for about an hour or two now. I know that you do not care if your support is positive or not, but like it honest. Í´m in Chile and fell into a depression, sort of angry at myself. And this blog post is what just took me out of my self-pity hell and made me realize how important this is.

I am going to make a thirty day habit that I will for now on self reflect on what I want and use the Output is God to further deepen that I need to find things out for myself.

Thanks,
TJ

I don’t think there’s an objective standard by which to confirm that you’re thinking for yourself. We are all conformists, it’s mostly a matter of which tribe you belong to, and how willing you are to change your views based on the whims of others.

In my experience, there are two measuring sticks. The first, and most accurate, is your results. If you’re meeting the kind of girls you want, landing the kind of job you want, writing the kind of book you want to write, etc., then that’s a good indicator that you’re in the right head space. After all, you can only attract the things you want if you’re thinking and acting as the person you really are.

The second is your emotions, which I refer to as your “personal bug tracking system.” In the pickup world, for example, a lot of guys might start meeting the kinds of girls they want, but they are anything but independent thinkers. They hero worship and recycle routines, and there’s no Wonder Woman on earth who can ultimately save you from the head fuck that leads to.

I remember a study at a college where they found that 74% of the respondents considered themselves as being more independent thinking than average, only 7% rated themselves less independent. No way 74% of those kids are as independent thinking as they’d like to believe.

Love & Gratitude,
Tina
Think Simple. Be Decisive.
~ Clarity & Happiness