Live Experimentally

I said last week would probably be the end of my discussion on inaction. What can I say? I changed my mind. This is such a terribly important idea, I have decided to continue. I've decided to keep taking action on the concept of inaction. Is that a paradox?

This week we need to talk about imagination. Imagination is such a fascinating concept. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

The powers of human imagination are very romantic, even sexy. A lot of people gobble up the idea that imagination is more important than knowledge. It's such an egalitarian notion. I mean, we all have an imagination, don't we? We all have an equal ability to imagine. At least in theory. And so to hear Einstein, the world's smartest person, downplay the importance of knowledge feels so empowering. It makes us feel as though we too can change the world.

I do believe anybody can change the world. And, imagination is definitely the first step to making that change. I am a daydreamer and I encourage you to be one as well. Dream of the future you wish to create and then simply keep moving towards it. You see, a lot of people sell dreams and I think it's a very valuable service. Thinking about the future can be a very enjoyable activity. But, today I want to talk about the element of our imagination that holds us back.

You see, like anything, imagination is not necessarily a good thing. I mean, if it really were as simple as dreaming about the future, and then creating that very dream, wouldn't we all do it? Wouldn't we all feel as though we're blissfully dancing across the clouds? But, we don't always feel that way, do we? So, what went wrong? Unfortunately, it's your imagination that's the problem. The very same imagination that started the train down the tracks, towards our bliss, also is responsible for derailing our dreams. Imagination is both the problem and the solution. Now, that's a serious paradox! So, follow me on this one.

Let's revisit that question. Riddle me this, is imagination a good thing? The truth is, you can't answer yes or no to that question. It all depends on what you're imagining. With all due respect to my boy Einstein, I think we need some knowledge on what it is we should be imagining. Because not all dreams and imaginations are created equal. Like I've said, I do encourage you to dream about good things. This is a great way to generate the motivation and inspiration to take the necessary action.

But, sometimes you need to be prepared to punch the devil in the face. Have you ever heard it said that an idle mind is the devil's playground? Without the proper attention and effort, really bad thoughts can creep into your consciousness. What we need to talk about are the feelings created by anxious thoughts. And yes, as a reminder, our feelings are created by our thoughts.

What we know is that anxiety is a product of our imagination. This is a fact. Fear and anxiety exist in the future. Let me restate that a little more accurately. The feeling of fear/anxiety happens in the present. But the thoughts that generate the feeling are thoughts about the future. You can't feel fear about an event in the past. So, another way to say it is that anxiety is anticipatory. That is to say, fear/anxiety exist only in our imagination. It is for this reason that I think we need a little clarity on the value of imagination. Imagination can be a good thing and it can also be a bad thing.

As I've mentioned, this post is about inaction. And a lot of inaction is caused by fear. We fear what will happen as the result of our actions so we do nothing. We doubt our abilities which causes us to be nervous. But, as it turns out, a lot of what we fear (perhaps most) never happens. Thus, we often fret over nothing. I think this is the very essence of what Jack Paar meant when he said, “My life is one long obstacle course with me as the chief obstacle.”

We know that avoidance is the hallmark of anxiety. The way most people cope with anxiety is by avoiding whatever it is that causes them to feel fearful. Avoidance is also a synonym for inaction. So, let me tell you this, I think there's a better way to cope with fear than avoidance or inaction. A great way to deal with anxiety is the following, “Live experimentally.” What do I mean by that? I mean it's a good idea to view your life as an ongoing experiment. Don't catastrophize over what may, or may not, happen because most of it won't happen (catastrophize being a word coined by the great Albert Ellis.) Instead, take action with a focus on what it is that you can learn from the things you do. Aiming for feedback, rather than success or perfection, is a great way to take the pressure off.

Living experimentally is an idea that I also wrote about here: N = 1

Simply having the mindset of an experiment, visualizing yourself as an experimenter, can often do the trick. However, sometimes you have to be a little more specific. So, let me help you set up and run a good experiment. Next time you are avoiding something, slow down and ask yourself what it is that's scaring you. Is it a negative consequence, is it doubt, is it shame? Make a list of all the negative outcomes, you imagine happening, if you go ahead and do the thing you are avoiding. Really sit down and take some time with it. Then go ahead and do that thing you're avoiding. Afterward, pull out the list and see what portion of the things that you predicted actually came true. What you will create is hard evidence that a lot of what we fear never even happens. And, the brain loves concrete evidence!

I realize not all of life has to be approached in such a nerdy fashion. (Hey! Nerdy fashion, there's a paradox for ya!) I also realize that being so meticulous takes work and isn't very romantic. But, above all, I know that sometimes we get stuck. And, we need techniques and tactics which, while requiring us to slow down now, allow us to speed up later. The paradox of living experimentally is that we slow down in order to speed up.