Vol. 73 No. 3, May/June 1992
I previously shared a letter published by the Royal Bank of Canada called “Creative Retirement.” If you have not read the blog post and letter yet, I highly encourage you to. The Royal Bank of Canada published a series of monthly letters starting in the 1920s to 2008. The letters were written with the purpose to “help people understand the world around them, and better understand their own lives.” I would like to continue sharing these letters because the topics that were discussed are still very relevant and important today. I am hoping that in sharing these letters with you, it encourages you to think about different topics and perspectives that could potentially enhance your life.
The letter I want to share with you today is called “Knowing How to Think” (Vol. 73, No. 3). It was published in May/June 1992. The letter emphasized that the way we think has a huge impact on our happiness and quality of life. We think constantly and next to breathing, it is something we do the most. For something we do so often, we should spend time to ensure our minds are effectively used and exercised.
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” - Abraham Lincoln
When thinking, there are tendencies that can impact how we view and believe things to be true. The letter brings awareness to some fallacies that we should try to avoid. These fallacies were developed by scholars in the Middle Ages however, they initially originated from the profound teachings of the philosophers of ancient Greece. Aristotle was amongst the philosophers who proposed certain formal laws of logic. His laws have since been disputed however, his offerings formed a wonderful starting-point for the study of how to think.
One example of a fallacy discussed in the letter is gross over-generalization. This tendency is when we assume that our opinion or sentiment is to be true universally and in every situation. For example, we may have had an unsatisfactory piece of pizza one time and through over-generalization, we may start to believe that all pizza is bad and decide to choose something else to eat. Over-generalization can cause misleading stereotypes and unjust opinions that can alter the way you live and enjoy your life. Being aware of these tendencies can help us change the way we think and to reduce the limiting beliefs that are holding us back in our day to day lives.
“The teacher could be wrong. Think for yourselves.”
The letter emphasized the importance of thinking for ourselves. This message is even more pertinent today with the amount of misinformation that is being shared through unregulated and biased news outlets and on social media. Critical thinking allows us to analyze information through asking questions, making observations, and revising our assumptions based on what we see and hear. This analysis will enable us to think more logically. Although we can evaluate the legitimacy of information, there is an element of human nature that we cannot eliminate. As humans with a nervous system, our innate reactions and emotions can limit our ability to see reality completely accurately.
“Absolute judgements tend to strengthen ‘the power of negative thinking.’”
With the understanding of human nature, it is also important to acknowledge that not everything is black-and-white and there may be more than one way of doing and thinking about things. Having an open mindset will allow us to gain different perspectives and to empathize with others in a greater capacity. Individuals and society as a whole are always evolving and changing. Although we should be aware of and acknowledge what holds true in the present, we should understand that change can occur.
The following excerpt from the letter I thought was very well said: “External conditions can cause misery, of course, but the spiritual wellbeing of ordinary individuals depends more on their state of mind than on their circumstances. That state of mind can be improved by efforts to think more clearly, because by doing so we can eliminate baseless self-doubts and fears.” I think it is a great reminder that as we experience challenging times in our lives, our positive state of mind can help us get through the tough times a little easier.
Although I have highlighted a few key points I took away from the letter, I encourage you read it in its entirety as it is full of so many lessons and information you might find helpful.
“How will you replace your current income in retirement?”™ - Jim Seyers