Donald B.
Ardell – May 22, 2011
Never try to
discourage thinking, for you are sure to succeed. Bertrand
Russell, What I Believe, 1925
In addition
to knowing how to make money for Berkshire-Hathaway (BH) and a lot of BH
investors over decades of consistent above-average returns, Warren Buffett is a bit of an expert on
rationality. He often extols critical thinking as a prerequisite for sound
investment and sensible decision-making in all areas - no exceptions. One of
his themes in annual BH reports is that rational people do not get in their own
way. He often says, Not getting in your
own way - that's the key to success.
There are
no mysteries about how we get in our own way, nor about how we can learn to
stay out of it. Most do things that hurt their prospects for regularly
occurring experiences of exuberance in many forms, along with sustaining good
health. Think of people you know who do what they know are harmful and
self-destructive - smoking, drinking too much, exercising too little and
engaging in other high-risk behaviors. However, a lot of self-inflicted,
getting in one's own way is done by default.
What does
that look like? How do you hurt your prospects for success, health and a good
life by default? This happens when you go along with norms or customs that
reinforce mediocrity or worse. It happens when you associate, longer than you
must, with backward, negative or dull people. And I think it happens when you
continue to respect vacuous rules, ludicrous rituals and nonsensical beliefs
that you grew up. Of course, not everything you grew up with was nonsensical,
and some fortunate individuals grew up with sound cultures of science and
learning.
We are all
responsible for doing an inventory at several points along the way after
reaching the ages of reason. Eliminate those things which no longer make sense
and subject all of it to critical inquiry.
Do you
think I might be on to something here?
An
important skill area that is a foundation of a REAL wellness mindset is a
strong regard for and willingness to utilize reason, rationality or critical
thinking. Another way of putting it - having a high regard for science. Insist
on evidence concerning customs, dogmas and the like that seem a bit odd or
ridiculous. Be alert to anything in your life that no longer make sense now
that you are a fully functioning, capable and well-educated adult.
Another way people get in their own way on the path to
wellness is by default. This happens if we neglect to pursue passions,
cultivate gifts, express loves and celebrate talents and opportunities.
At a
seminar with Bill Gates a decade ago, Buffett said:
They've asked us to start out talking, the two of us, about
what got us here...How I got here is pretty simple...It's not IQ...The big
thing is rationality. I always look at IQ and talent as representing the
horsepower of the motor, but that the output - the efficiency with which that
motor works - depends on rationality. A lot of people start out with
400-horsepower motors but only get a hundred horsepower of output. It's better
to have a 200-horsepower motor and get it all into output.
Think of
ways you might be blocking your REAL wellness success potentials. Don't
overlook default factors. Let rationality, via critical thinking, be your guide
to needed changes. It's the best path toward satisfaction and well-being, the
true measures of success.
Donald B. Ardell is the Well Infidel. He favors evidence over faith, reason over revelation and
meaning and purpose over spirituality. His enthusiasm for reason, exuberance and liberty are reflected in his
books (14), newsletter (576 editions of a weekly report) and lectures across
North America and a dozen other countries. Write Don at
awr.realwellness@gmail.com