Consider these two groups of people.
One group (Group A) believes that reasons are real and that reasons cause things to happen or not happen.
The other group (Group B) believes that invisible intentional agents are real and that invisible intentional agents cause things to happen or not happen.
What’s the difference between these two groups?
- Both Group A and Group B are very confident in their beliefs. But the degree of confidence we have about what we think or believe has no correlation with the accuracy or reality of the thought or belief.
- Neither Group A nor Group B can produce a tangible example of a reason or of an invisible intentional agent because both are figments of the imagination.
- Whether reasons or invisible intentional agents are causing things to happen or not happen, the people in either group are not responsible.
- As a result, the people in both groups have very little power to make things happen or to prevent things from happening.
- Meanwhile, the people in Group B are busy (wasting time, effort, and energy) trying to fight off or appease invisible intentional agents, and the people in Group A are busy (wasting time, effort, and energy) first turning the events, situations, encounters, circumstances, and conditions of their lives into reasons—and then trying to address the problems they perceive to be the result of the reasons they have created!
Each group also feels superior to the other group. If you believe in reasons you’re much more likely to be seen as sane—even reasonable—by others. But it makes absolutely no difference whether you believe in reasons or you believe in invisible intentional agents. The bottom line is that something else—not you—is running your life.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this and what a difference it makes. It saves so much time. Just take responsibility and move on. Excuses and reasons just keep me trapped in the same old stuff. Time to take some action. Very empowering! Thanks for putting this together.
It really does save time, doesn’t it? Time and aggravation. 🙂
I think what I am finding most interesting about it is that when I find myself tempted to go down that road (of thinking about reasons), stopping myself immediately turns the focus into using the thought process for solutions and ideas, rather than excuses. I am pushing through a rough patch right now, and this stuff is powerful.
Sorry about your rough patch. I hope it smooths out. Yes, I find the same thing–that letting go of looking for reasons changes the focus to finding solutions and getting on with it. (Of course, I may be predisposed to wanting to Get On With It. 🙂 )
Thank you, Joycelyn. This made me smile a lot.
You’re welcome, Jean. 🙂