Recently, I realized that I had underestimated the importance of what people think about in the shower in the mornings. I always knew that great ideas often come to mind during this time. Now, I will go further: you are unlikely to accomplish anything truly outstanding if you don’t think about it in the shower.
Probably, everyone who has worked on complex problems is familiar with this phenomenon: you put in all your effort to figure it out, you fail, you start doing something else – and suddenly, you see the solution. These are thoughts that come to mind when you are not trying to think deliberately. I am increasingly convinced that this way of thinking is not just useful but necessary for solving difficult tasks. The problem is that you can only indirectly manage your thought process. [1]
I believe that, at any given time, most people have one main idea in their heads. It is what a person starts to think about when they allow their thoughts to flow freely. And this main idea typically reaps all the benefits of the type of thinking I mentioned above. So if you allow an unsuitable idea to become dominant, it will turn into a catastrophe.
I realized this after my mind was occupied for a long time with an idea that I wouldn’t want there.
I have noticed that startups achieve much less when they begin seeking funds, but I was only able to understand why this happens after we found them ourselves. The issue is not the time spent in meetings with investors. The problem is that once you start attracting investments, raising funds becomes your main idea. And you begin to think about it in the shower in the mornings. This means you stop thinking about other things.
I hated looking for investors when I led Viaweb, but I forgot why I hated it so much. When we were seeking funds for Y Combinator, I remembered why. Money-related issues very likely become your main focus. Simply because they have to. Finding an investor is not easy. It's not something that happens by itself. There won’t be investments until you allow them to become what you think about deep down. And after that, you will almost stop making progress on all the other matters you are working on. [2]
(I have heard similar complaints from my professor friends. Today, professors seem to have turned into professional fundraisers, who, in addition to seeking money, do a bit of research. Maybe it’s time to change that.)
It struck me so profoundly that for the next ten years, I could only think about what I wanted. The difference between that time and when I couldn’t do so was significant. But I don’t think this issue is relevant only to me, as almost every startup I’ve seen stalls in its development when it begins searching for investment or negotiating a merger.
You cannot directly control the free flow of your thoughts. If you control them, they aren’t free. But you can manage them indirectly by controlling the situations you allow yourself to enter. This became a lesson for me: pay close attention to what you allow to become important to you. Put yourself in situations where the most pressing issue will be the one you want to think about.
Of course, you won’t be able to control this completely. Any emergency will push all other thoughts out of your head. But by grappling with emergencies, you have a good opportunity to indirectly influence which ideas become dominant in your consciousness.
I found that there are two types of thoughts to avoid the most: thoughts that push aside interesting ideas, like a Nile perch pushing other fish out of a pond. The first type I already mentioned: thoughts about money. Earning money inherently grabs all attention. The other type is thoughts about arguments in debates. They can also be captivating, as they cleverly disguise themselves as genuinely interesting ideas. But there is no real substance in them! So avoid arguments if you want to engage in real activities. [3]
Even Newton fell into this trap. After publishing his theory of color in 1672, he became mired in fruitless discussions for years and ultimately decided to stop publishing:
I realized that I had become a slave to Philosophy, but if I free myself from the need to respond to Mr. Linus and allow him to speak against me, I will be forced to sever ties with Philosophy forever, except for that part which I pursue for my own satisfaction. I believe that a person must either resolve not to express any new thoughts publicly or inevitably find themselves defending them. [4]
Linus and his students in Liège were among his most stubborn critics. According to Westfall, Newton's biographer, he reacts to criticism too emotionally:
By the time Newton wrote these lines, his 'slavery' consisted of writing five letters to Liège, totaling 14 pages, over the course of a year.
But I well understand Newton. The issue was not the 14 pages, but the fact that this silly dispute constantly occupied his mind, which desperately wanted to think about other things.
It turns out that the tactic of 'turning the other cheek' has its advantages. The person who insults you inflicts double harm: first, they insult you, and second, they take away your time that you spend thinking about it. If you learn to ignore insults, you can avoid at least the second part. I realized that I can, to some extent, not think about unpleasant things people do to me by telling myself: this doesn't deserve a place in my head. I always rejoice when I find I've forgotten the details of arguments – it means I haven't been thinking about them. My wife thinks I am more generous than she is, but in reality, my motives are purely selfish.
I suspect many people are not certain what the main idea currently occupies their mind. I often make mistakes regarding this myself. Often, I take for the main idea one that I would like to be primary, rather than the one that actually is. In fact, the main idea is easy to figure out: just take a shower. What topic do your thoughts keep returning to? If it’s not something you want to think about, you might want to change something.
Notes
[1] Undoubtedly, there is already a name for this type of thinking, but I prefer to call it 'natural thinking.'
[2] This was particularly evident in our case, as we easily secured funds from two investors, but both processes stretched on for months. Moving large sums of money is never something people take lightly. The necessity to pay attention to this increases with the amount, it may not be a linear function, but it is certainly a monotonous one.
[3] Conclusion: don't become an administrator, or your work will consist of resolving financial issues and disputes.
[4] Letters to Oldenburg, cited from Westfall, Richard, Life of Isaac Newton, p. 107.
It was first by Eгор Заикин and saved from oblivion by me from the web archive.
Source: habr.com
