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4 Signs of Short-Term Thinking and Strategies to Overcome Them
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Unintended consequences
Because we mostly react instead of think, our actions are based on insufficient information. We grab for a solution without thinking deeply about the context of the problem: e.g: We try to cheer up a depressed person by making her realize that her life is not that bad and that the sun is shining, only to find out we have made her even more depressed. She now feels guilty about her feelings, worthless, and more alone in her unhappiness.
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Tactical hell
You find yourself embroiled in several struggles or battles. You seem to get nowhere but you feel like you have invested so much time and energy already that it would be a waste to give up. You have actually lost sight of your goals. Instead it has become a question of asserting your ego.
You need some detachment and perspective. Remind yourself that winning an argument or proving your point really gets you nowhere in the long run.
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Ticker tape fever
Many of us have become addicted to the minute-by-minute news cycle, to “what’s trending". We feel like we are connected to the very flow of life itself, to events as they change in real time, and to other people who are following the same instant reports. Once we expect to have some bit of news quickly, we can never go back to the slower pace of just a year ago. Our attention span decreases as well as our tolerance for any obstacles in our path.
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Lost in trivia
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Short-term thinking
Most of us imagine that we engage in some form of long-term thinking; after all, we have goals and plans. And basically we are in denial about this because it is hard to have perspective about our own decision-making process. The best way to overcome this is to recognize the clear signs of short sighted thinking in our own lives. As with most elements of human nature, awareness is the key.
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Narrative Habits
The way we talk to ourselves about the events in our lives is subject to the same laws of learning and habit formation that physical behaviors are.
That means we can learn to talk to o...
Events + Thoughts = Emotions
Our emotions are always mediated by some form of thinking.
If our thoughts determine how we feel, that means how we habitually think will determine how we habitually feel.
Mind Reading
It happens when we assume we understand what other people are thinking without any real evidence.
It is a failure of imagination because we often only imagine and focus on the negative aspects.
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Radio transformed American politics
For centuries, people had read politicians' words. On Nov. 2, 1920, the first broadcast from a licensed radio station was broadcasting the results of that year's presidential electi...
The medium is the message
In 1964, media theorist Marshall McLuhan said that "the medium is the message," meaning that the kind of medium through which a message is transmitted matters more than its content.
For centuries, the primary medium for mass political news was the printed word. Political candidates were expected to participate in a series of debates that were attended by thousands, but millions followed the debates through newspaper accounts. By the 1930s, politicians could address citizens directly through radio. McLuhan described the radio as a "hot" medium because speeches could incite passions.
Politics and media: television takes over
Once television arrived, the political strategy shifted toward using entertainment to get the attention of voters.
In the 1952 election, the Eisenhower campaign started working with ad agencies and actors to create the candidate's TV personality. An enhanced image became the key to political power.
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Working Harder isn’t the Answer
We do it because it's the most visible form of productivity.
It is a way to prove to others that you are doing stuff and checking things off the list.
The Dose-Response Theory
Hard work is necessary in order to be productive, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.
At some point, you start to be negatively productive.
Prioritize Tasks by Energy Level
It means scheduling your time according to your natural rhythms:
- Do your most important work at the beginning of the day if you are a morning person.
- Don't feel bad about sleeping in because you stayed up late at night to work if you are a night owl.