We often wonder why some people are successful in everything, while others, on the contrary, fail in any enterprise. Success in business directly depends on the type of thinking. The ability to think rationally is necessary for successful business.

A man who says he is not rational thinking man- he’s lying. Maybe don't think about pressing problems It's just more convenient. In this case, you are not responsible for anything, and you can always hide behind your inability to think logically.

The ability to think correctly allows you to get rid of many unnecessary problems and become a successful and prosperous person in life and business. That is why rational thinking needs to be developed.

There are a number of quite simple techniques, allowing you to develop the ability to think rationally:

Write down ideas that arise on paper. This will help you approach the problem correctly and step by step. In addition, on paper you can easily see your mistakes.

You can replace writing by typing on a computer. This will help sort out all your thoughts and eliminate the possibility of forgetting anything important.

Say your thoughts out loud or record them on a tape recorder, this will help you stay on topic.

Before you start thinking, set yourself specific goals and tasks.

A calm environment promotes rational thinking. It's best to think about fresh air while walking. In nature, more oxygen reaches the brain, and it begins to think more actively.

Meditation is in a great way for concentration. With its help you can renounce outside world and completely immerses himself in solving the problem.

Calculate several rational options for solving the problem. Weigh their pros and cons and choose the optimal solution. It is better if you have worked out several options for resolving the issue.

You need to allocate yourself certain time for reflection, without combining it with some other activity. Rational thinking requires high concentration and you should not be distracted by foreign objects.

If, while solving a question, you are faced with your ignorance of the subject, you should take the time to get necessary information, and not act at random.

The ability to think rationally will help you find the optimal way out of the current situation. difficult situation, as well as develop strategy and tactics for the future.

CAN A PERSON BE RATIONAL?

Publication 1941

I used to think of myself as a Rationalist; and a Rationalist, I suppose, is one who wishes men to be reasonable. But nowadays rationality comes under so many harsh attacks that it is difficult to understand what is meant when one speaks of rationality, or, in cases where the meaning is clear, the question arises whether a person can be rational. The question of defining rationality has two sides - theoretical and practical: “what is rational opinion?” and “what is rational behavior? Pragmatism emphasizes the irrationality of opinion, and psychoanalysis emphasizes the irrationality of behavior. Both theories have led many people to believe that there is no such thing as an ideal of rationality to which opinion and behavior can generally conform. It would seem to follow that if you and I adhere to different points In view of this, it is useless to appeal to the argument or decision of an impartial person; we have no choice but to bring the dispute to an end using the methods of rhetoric, advertising or war in accordance with the degree of our financial or military force. I am convinced that such a view is very dangerous and will be fatal for civilization in the future. I will therefore endeavor to show that the ideal of rationality remains unaffected by ideas which are regarded as fatal to that ideal, and that it retains all the importance which it has hitherto had when regarded as the guiding principle of thought and life.

Let's start with rationality in opinion: I define it simply as the habit of taking all relevant evidence into account when arriving at a particular opinion. Where certainty is unattainable, a rational person will give highest value most possible opinion, while holding others having appreciable probability in one's mind as a hypothesis which future evidence may confirm as preferable. This, of course, assumes that in many cases the facts and probabilities can be ascertained objective method, for example, a method that will result in any two attentive people to the same result. This is often questioned. Many say that the only function of intelligence is to facilitate the satisfaction of individual wants and needs. The Committee for the Publication of Textbooks “Plebs” in “Fundamentals of Psychology” writes: “Intellect, first of all, is an instrument of partiality. Its function is to ensure that those actions which are beneficial to the individual or human race, must be performed, and those actions which are less beneficial must be prohibited." (Italics in original.)

“Marxist faith is completely different from religious faith; the latter is based only on desire and tradition; the first is based on scientific analysis objective reality». This seems to contradict what they say about the intellect, unless they actually mean that the intellect had no part in their conversion to the Marxist faith. In any case, since they recognize that it is possible " scientific analysis objective reality,” they must recognize that it is possible to have opinions that are rational in an objective sense.

More erudite authors, those who defend an irrationalist point of view, such as pragmatist philosophers, are not so easily refuted. They argue that there is no such thing as an objective fact that our opinions must conform to if they are to be considered true. For them, opinions are only tools in the struggle for existence, and those of them that help a person survive will be called “true.” This view prevailed in Japan in the 6th century. n. BC, when Buddhism first reached this country. Government, doubting the truth new religion, ordered one of the courtiers to take it experimentally; if he succeeds more than the rest, the religion will be accepted as universal. This method (modified for our times) is advocated by the pragmatists in relation to all religious disputes; but I have never yet heard anyone declare that he has converted to the Jewish faith, although it seems to lead to prosperity faster than any other.

Despite this definition of “truth”, in Everyday life pragmatism is always guided by entirely different principles for the less subtle questions that arise in practical affairs. A pragmatic juror in a murder case will think about what happened in the same way as any other person; whereas, if he had adhered to his principles, he would have had to decide who would be most advantageous to hang. This person will, by definition, be guilty of murder because believing that he is guilty will be more useful, and therefore more “true,” than believing that some other person is guilty. I'm afraid that such practical pragmatism sometimes occurs; I have heard of "rigging" in America and Russia that fit this description. But in such cases, everything is done to hide this fact, and if these efforts fail, then a scandal occurs. This cover-up shows that even police officers believe in the objective truth in a forensic investigation. It is this kind of objective truth - very mundane and prosaic - that scientists strive to find. It is this kind of truth that people also seek to find in religion as long as they hope to find it. Only when people give up hope of proving that religion is true in literally, they take the trouble to show that this is “truth” in some newfangled sense. It can be openly stated that irrationalism, i.e., disbelief in objective facts, almost always grows out of a desire to prove something for which there is no supporting evidence, or to deny something that is well supported. But faith in objective facts is always retained in relation to particular practical matters, such as investments or the hiring of servants. And if indeed it were possible to test the truth of our beliefs everywhere, it would be a test in all areas, leading to agnosticism wherever it was carried out.

The above considerations are, of course, quite inadequate in relation to the topic. The solution to the problem of the objectivity of a fact is complicated by the vague reasoning of philosophers, which I will try to analyze in the future in a more radical way. Now I must suppose that there are facts, that some facts are knowable, and that certain other facts can be assigned a degree of probability relative to facts that can be known. However, our beliefs often contradict facts; even when we only believe something to be probable on the basis of relevant evidence, it may be the case that we should believe it to be improbable on the basis of the same evidence. Hence, theoretical part rationality consists in basing our beliefs on relevant evidence rather than on desires, prejudices, or traditions. Thus, either an impartial person or a scientist will be rational.

Some think that psychoanalysis has shown the impossibility of rational belief by revealing the strange and almost insane origins of many people's cherished beliefs. I have great respect for psychoanalysis and I believe that it can be extremely useful. But public opinion lost sight of the goal that primarily inspired Freud and his followers. Their method is initially therapeutic, a way to treat hysteria and various types of insanity. During the war, psychoanalysis proved that it is one of the most important ways treatment of neuroses acquired during the war. Rivers' book "Instinct and the Unconscious", which is largely based on the experience of treating shell-shocked patients, gives brilliant analysis painful manifestations of fear when this fear cannot be directly indulged. These manifestations are, of course, largely non-intellectual; They include different kinds paralysis, all types, apparently, of physical illness. But we will not discuss this in this article; Let's focus on intellectual disabilities. It has been established that many hallucinations of madmen are the result of instinctive obstacles and can be cured by purely psychic means, for example, by bringing to the patient's consciousness facts that have been repressed in his memory. This type of treatment and the worldview which inculcates it presuppose an ideal of sanity from which the patient has deviated and to which he must be restored by the recognition of all relevant facts, including those which he most desires to forget. This is precisely the opposite of those lazy concessions to irrationality which are sometimes encouraged by those who know only that psychoanalysis has shown the predominance of irrational belief, and who forget or ignore that his aim is to weaken this predominance by a certain method of medical treatment. A very similar method can cure the irrationality of those who are not considered insane, provided they are treated by a specialist free from their illusions. Presidents, Cabinet of Ministers and Prominent figures, however, rarely fulfill this condition and therefore remain untreated.

So far we have considered only the theoretical side of rationality. The practical side, to which we now turn, is more complex. Differences of opinion on practical questions stem from two sources: first, the differences between the desires of the disputants; secondly, differences in their assessments of the means of realizing their desires. The differences of the second kind are actually theoretical and only indirectly practical. For example, some authoritative people argue that the first line of our defense should be composed of battleships, others - that of airplanes. There is no difference here regarding the proposed purpose, namely national security, the difference is only in the means. The reasoning, therefore, can be constructed purely scientifically, since the disagreement giving rise to a dispute relates only to facts present or future, certain or probable. To all these cases the type of rationality which I have called theoretical applies, despite the fact that a practical question is being decided.

However, in such cases there are complications that are very important for practice. A person who wants to act in a certain way will convince himself that by acting in this way he achieves some goal that he considers good, even if he did not have such a desire, he would see no reason for such a belief . And he will judge facts and possibilities in a somewhat different way than a person with contrary desires. Gamblers, as everyone knows, are filled with irrational faith in systems that will ultimately must lead them to win. People interested in politics convince themselves that the leaders of their party will never be guilty of the fraudulent tricks practiced by other politicians. A man who loves to govern thinks that it is good for the population to be treated like a flock of sheep; a person who loves tobacco says that it calms the nerves; Human, alcohol-loving, says it stimulates wit. Biases caused by such reasons falsify human judgments about reality in a way that is very difficult to avoid. Even Research Article about the effects of alcohol on nervous system will generally give away the author, based on internal logic, as to whether he is a teetotaler; in any case he will have a tendency to see the facts in a light that justifies him own practice. In politics and religion such considerations become very important.

Most people think that in forming their political opinions they are guided by a desire for the public good; but nine times out of ten Political Views a person can be predicted based on his lifestyle. This leads some people to the conviction, and many to the conviction, expressed in practical action, that in such cases it is impossible to be objective and that only a “tug of war” is possible between classes with opposing interests.

However, it is precisely in such cases that psychoanalysis is partly useful, since it allows people to become aware of interests that were hitherto unconscious. It provides methods for self-observation, that is, the opportunity to see ourselves from the outside, and the basis for the assumption that this view of ourselves from the outside is less unfair than we tend to think. When combined with teaching a scientific worldview, this method can, if widely taught, enable people to become infinitely more rational than they currently are with regard to their beliefs about reality and possible consequences any proposed action. And if people are united in their views on these problems, differences that remain can almost certainly be resolved amicably.

However, there remains a question that cannot be solved purely intellectual methods. The desires of one person cannot be completely harmonized with the desires of another. Two competitors on the stock exchange may be in complete agreement about the consequences of a particular action, but this will not create harmony in practical activities, because everyone wants to get rich at the expense of the other. Nevertheless, even here rationality can prevent most harmful consequences that otherwise are being implemented. We call a person irrational when he acts out of passion, when he cuts off his nose to disfigure his face. He is irrational because he forgets that by indulging the desire that he happened to experience most strongly at that moment, he will interfere with the fulfillment of other desires that will be more important to him in the future. If people were rational, they would have a more correct view of their self-interest than they do now; and if all men proceeded from conscious self-interest, the world would be a paradise compared with what it is now, I do not assert that there is nothing better than self-interest as a motive of action; but I maintain that self-interest, like altruism, is better when it is conscious than when it is not conscious. In an orderly society, a person is very rarely interested in doing anything too harmful to others. The less rational a person is, the more often he does not understand how much what offends others also offends him, because hatred and envy blind him. Therefore, although I do not claim that self-interest is the highest morality, I do claim that if it becomes universal, it makes the world immeasurably better than it is.

Rationality in practice can be defined as the habit of remembering and taking into account all our relevant desires, and not just what happens to be strongest in this moment. As with rationality in opinions, this is a matter of degree. Undoubtedly, complete rationality - unattainable ideal, but since we continue to classify some people as crazy, it is clear that we think of some people as more rational than others. I believe that all lasting progress in the world consists in an increase in rationality, both practical and theoretical. Preaching an altruistic morality seems to me somewhat useless, because it will only appeal to those who already have altruistic desires. But preaching rationality is something else, because rationality helps us realize our own desires in general, whatever they may be. A person is rational in the proportion in which his intellect shapes and controls his desires. I believe that the control of our actions by the intellect is, in the final analysis, the most important thing that makes it still possible social life as science increases the number of means at our disposal to harm each other. Education, the press, politics, religion - in a word, all the great forces of the world - are today on the side of irrationality; they are in the hands of people who flatter His Majesty the People in order to confuse them. The means of salvation lies not in any heroic accomplishment, but in the efforts of individuals toward a saner and more balanced view of our relationships with our neighbors and with the world. It is to this increasingly pervasive intelligence that we must turn to solve all the problems that plague our world.

Being an adult is hard, but all the effort always pays off. It is impossible to live irresponsibly all your life, and from a certain age there is a need to think about yourself independently, take responsibility for your life, and strive for the best for yourself and your family. All people understand different things by the phrase “adult”, but in fact, in order to become an adult, a person must develop the qualities responsible person both in professional and personal life.

Steps

How to develop the qualities of an adult

Try to be rational person. In youth it is acceptable to act recklessly or selfishly, but as an adult one must think more about one's actions and act rationally.

• To think rationally, you need to learn to separate thoughts from feelings.
• A rational person controls his emotions and bases his actions on thoughts rather than feelings.
• When a rational person makes decisions, he takes into account the interests of others and moral aspects.
• To become a more rational person, try to give yourself a break when you are struggling with your emotions. Make a decision later, when you calm down and can think soberly.
• Whenever you limit your impulses to thoughts or moral or ethical considerations, you are acting rationally. Gradually, it will become easier for you to make rational decisions.

1. Strive for meaningful, harmonious relationships. To become an adult, you should focus on building relationships with others. All your connections (friendships, family, romantic) should be meaningful, harmonious and useful for all participants. This will require some effort, but this is the only way you will feel calm, just like the people around you.

   • Strive for interactions where all participants behave as independent individuals.
   • Be prepared to make a compromise that suits everyone.
   • In any mature relationship, there is both giving and taking. It is important that the needs of all people are met.
   • In harmonious relationships, people give and receive love unconditionally. Your love should not depend on certain conditions or expectations.

2. Put your needs above your wants. Many people find it difficult to give up things they want and do what they should do. It's okay to spend money on entertainment if you have a spare, but you need to think about the basic needs first.

   Manage your life yourself. One of key tasks an adult - to manage his life independently. Your parents and other relatives may help you during childhood and adolescence, but adult life you need to learn to think about everything yourself.

   • If you are unhappy with any aspect of your life (or are told by others that there is a problem), be prepared to do something about it.
   • An adult is able to take responsibility for his life and change what does not allow him to enjoy life.
   • Seek help when needed, but remember that you must be able to provide for yourself and live independently.
   • Remember that only you can change your life. Circumstances may limit your ability to make changes, but you must know that you have the strength to adapt to circumstances and grow despite what happens.
   • Start setting goals for yourself and working towards them. Be independent person, take responsibility for your actions and inactions.

   How to develop the qualities of an adult

   1. Be independent. Independence is a consequence of the ability to manage your life. You must be able to provide for yourself and take care of yourself in all areas. This includes self-care, keeping a tidy home, being punctual at work, being productive, and managing money.

      • Independence can have different shapes V at different ages. The most important thing is to be independent according to your age.
      • Independence may come with age-appropriate responsibilities. As you get older, your responsibilities may change and you will need to do what is expected of you.
      • A teenager has a different level of independence compared to someone in their twenties or thirties, and it is certainly different from the independence of someone who is 50 or 60 years old.
      • Analyze the behavior of your peers, pay attention to what they do to be independent, and take an example from them.
      • If you're having trouble achieving independence, work with a mental health coach or career counselor. Look for specialists on the Internet.

   2. Think about your goals and go towards them. An adult needs goals. Goals give life meaning and keep you moving forward. When a person achieves a goal, he has a reason to be proud of himself. Setting goals and working to achieve them requires prioritization, both in your personal and professional life. If you need to set a goal for yourself, use the S.M.A.R.T. The effectiveness of this technique has been scientifically proven. In accordance with the S.M.A.R.T. methodology, the goal should be::

      • S - Specific, that is, specific. Narrow your goal. It’s better not to set yourself global goals with a streamlined formulation, and specific goals with a clear result.
      • M - Measurable, that is, measurable. Decide how you will measure success, both now and in the future. You must understand what will allow you to determine that the goal has been achieved and also monitor progress.
      • A - Attainable, that is, achievable. The goal should not be impossible. It’s worth striving for big things, but it’s more important to work within your capabilities and think through a strategy for the future.
      • R - Realistic, that is, significant. Think about whether you are ready and want to reach your goal. Of course, you need to push yourself forward all the time, but the goal should not be ephemeral.
      • T - Time-bound, that is, limited in time. Set a deadline for achieving the goal. You should have enough time to prepare. However, you should not extend the deadlines indefinitely.

   3. Strive for integrity of your personality and honesty. An adult must be able to tell the truth and have moral principles. This approach can be interpreted differently depending on the situation, but overall you should be proud of your decisions and what you do with your life.

   4. Take responsibility for your life. Anything that helps you become an adult helps you manage your life. Taking responsibility means not passing the buck to others when something goes wrong, and not abdicating responsibilities. A responsible adult is ready to take responsibility for all his decisions.

      • Responsibility includes many factors that depend on age and life situation.
      • A responsible attitude towards life remains with a person forever. It involves reacting to situations and circumstances, as well as a willingness to deal with any outcome.
      • Taking a responsible approach to life means thinking through all the little things, making decisions and being ready to take responsibility for the outcome of decisions, both positive and negative.
      • If you plan everything in advance and take into account possible problems, it will be easier for you to manage the situation in the future.
      • Remember that being responsible for your life also means being able to enjoy your successes. Don't brag or be arrogant, but at the same time be able to recognize your achievements.

   How to be a responsible employee

   1. Know how to manage your time. If you want to succeed at work, learn to manage your time. This means you may have to put off things you want to do in order to get your work done. You may also need to deliver projects on time, which means you'll need to keep track of time and deadlines.

      • Be punctual. Always show up to work on time (or even a little early) and stay until you finish everything.
      • Try to get as much done as possible every day. If a deadline is approaching on an important project, take the time to get everything done on time.
      • Keep track of deadlines using a calendar or planner.
      • Try to plan your day either the day before or in the morning. This way you can start the day knowing what you have to do.
      • If you find yourself procrastinating, remind yourself that things won't do themselves. Putting something off until later will make it harder for you to finish it.
      • Take care of one thing at a time. Keep a to-do list in your head, but focus on just one task at a time to be as productive as possible.
   2. It is important to have ambitions not only in your professional life, but also in your personal life. Try to be the best version yourself, both in work and in your personal life.
   3. Don't come to work wanting to just get a bunch of things done. Strive to do more to show management that you are ready for to a greater extent responsibility.
   4. Ambition and a mature approach to work may allow you to achieve promotion and salary growth.

3. Pay attention to detail. Paying attention to detail will allow you to get more done in less time. If you work carelessly, both you and your colleagues will have to redo a lot. Take your time and don't try to finish the job as quickly as possible - do it well.

   • It's important to be proud of your work. Don't go home until you've done everything you have to do.
   • Not a single detail should escape your attention. If a colleague missed something in his work, help him finish the work or show him what needs to be done.
   • Try to treat the little things like cleaning a cafe. First you need to wipe down the tables and then sweep the floor. You can only wash the floor at the very end.
   • Before moving on to the next task or going home, complete the current one.

4. Demonstrate leadership qualities. If you are a responsible employee, your management will notice your efforts. Over time, when the opportunity arises, you may be promoted. If you take responsibility for your work results, do more than is expected of you, and collaborate with colleagues to achieve common good, your management will understand that you can be a leader.

   • To be a leader, you need to be able to complete your work on time and take responsibility for your actions.
   • Remember that a leader is responsible not only for his own actions, but also for the actions of his subordinates.
   • A leader must be confident and think about others. If you can delegate responsibilities, but also show a genuine interest in the problems of your colleagues, you can make a good leader.

Learning to think rationally is quite possible. One of the best ways to do this is to expand the set of mental models. Blogger James Clear told us how to do this.

The first time I learned what a mental model is was when I read a story about famous physicist Richard Feynman. Feynman received his bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts Institute of Technology And doctorate in Princeton. During this time he managed to earn good reputation among students and teachers - he could solve problems that brilliant graduate students could not solve.

Feynman believed that he secret weapon- not intelligence, but a strategy that he learned in school. One day, his physics teacher told him to stay after class.

“Feynman,” he said, “you talk too much and make too much noise. I know why. Are you bored. So I'll give you the book. You will sit in the back desk, in the corner, and study this book. When you know everything that is written in it, you can talk again.”

So, in every physics lesson, Feynman did not pay the slightest attention to what the class was doing. He sat at the back desk with Woods's book Differential and integral calculus" It was while reading that he began to develop his own set of mental models.

When guys at MIT or Princeton struggled with some integral, it was because they couldn't solve it using standard methods that they learned at school. And Feynman solved the integral thanks to a new prism and a set of tools that he learned from books.

What distinguished Feynman was not his intellect, but his vision of the problem. He had a wider range of mental models.

What is a mental model?

Mental models are ideas, strategies, ways of understanding based on previous experience that exist in a person’s mind and guide his actions. They are used to explain cause and effect and provide meaning. life experience. Mental models explain how the world works.

For example, supply and demand is a mental model that helps us understand how the economy works. Game theory is a mental model that explains how relationships and trust work.

Mental models determine your behavior and perception of the world. These are the tools you use to understand life, make decisions, and solve problems. Each new model, which you learn will change your vision of the world. This happened to Richard Feynman when he learned a new mathematical technique.

Of course, mental models are far from perfect, but they are very useful. In physics or mathematics, for example, there is not a single model that perfectly and accurately explains the Universe, but thanks to the best mental models from these sciences, we have learned to build bridges and roads, develop new technologies, and even fly into space.

“All scientists agree that there is not one hundred percent correct theory. Therefore, the quality of knowledge is determined not by how true it is, but by how useful it is,” Yuval Noah Harari.

The best mental models are the most useful ideas. Understanding these concepts will help you make smart decisions. Therefore, it is important for anyone who wants to think rationally and effectively to expand their repertoire of these tools.

How to learn to think rationally?

We all have our favorite mental models—often the ones that help us understand why or why something happened. As we mature and gain experience in a particular area, we tend to use only those concepts that are most familiar to us.

Here's the problem: when a certain worldview dominates your mind, you try to explain every problem you encounter in terms of that worldview. It is especially easy for smart or talented people in a certain area to fall into such a trap.

The better you become at one mental model, the more more likely that it will become your biggest weakness because you will start using it to try to solve every problem. What appears to be an experience is actually a limitation.

Let's look at one example. Biologist Robert Sapolsky asks the question: “Why did the chicken cross the road?” He then assumes that different experts will answer.

An evolutionary biologist would most likely answer: “The chicken crossed the road because it saw something on the other side. potential partner for mating."

A kinesiologist would most likely answer, “The chicken crossed the road because the muscles in its legs were contracting, causing it to move forward.”

A neuroscientist would most likely answer: “The chicken crossed the road because neurons in its brain fired that caused it to move.”

Essentially, they are all right. However, none of them sees the whole picture. The problems we face cannot be fully explained using just one model of thinking.

Relying on just one mental tool is like wearing a mental straitjacket. When your set of thinking patterns is limited, your decisions become limited. To reach your full potential, you must learn a wide range of mental models. This is the only way you will learn to think rationally.

How to expand your set of mental models?

Mental models tell us how the world works. We must regularly learn the basics of areas unfamiliar to us, communicate with people whose experiences are completely different from ours. Otherwise we will see only part of the whole picture.

Why is it important to identify connections between mental models?

At school we divide our knowledge into different categories - biology, economics, history, physics, philosophy. IN real world everything should be the other way around.

The greatest minds of mankind rarely think in categories. They do not look at life through the prism of one subject.

It is very important not only to learn new mental models, but also to understand how they are connected to each other. Creativity and creation often occur at the intersection of ideas. By identifying connections between different mental models, you can find solutions that many have missed or overlooked.

Tools to help you think better

Good news:

You don't need to ideally master every subject to become a greatest thinker. You only need to learn a few mental models to understand how the world works.

The key disciplines are biology, chemistry, physics, economics, mathematics, psychology and philosophy. Each area has fundamental ideas, which you need to know. For example, in economics these are incentive, scarcity and economies of scale.

If you understand the fundamentals of each discipline, you can build an accurate and useful picture of the world.

We start our workdays with an unusual article - this is not instructions for promotion on social networks, this is not a success story, this is much more basic information- about how to achieve personal effectiveness. And you can achieve it by realizing how comfortable you are to work - in what mode and rhythm, with what approach. Today's material is about the so-called irrationals - creative personalities, which, alas, will not become effective until they accept their nature and begin to work, starting from it.

People of an irrational nature are rewarded with everything: a lazy person, a modest little genius, creative person, how the earth generally carries such people, a goofball, a rebel, a five-year sentence in two days. You don’t understand how you can sentence a five-year prisoner in two days and still be a goof? Most likely, you simply don’t know what an irrational person is.

All people are partly irrational, it’s just that in some people carelessness rules the roost (as in me, for example), and in others rationality takes over. But practice has shown that the respectable public loves classifications. Here are a few points that will help you understand your nature. So you are irrational if:

• tried one hundred and twenty-five planning methods, but none of them work;
• tried to fit ourselves into the framework of thousands of time management systems, but everyone got bored the very next day;
• it's easier for you to sentence big project, designed for a month, in a couple of days, and then lie down and relax while the rest work hard;
• you know what it is flow state: Actually, you always work in this state. The eyes sparkle, everything burns in the hands, a sea of ​​energy;
• you live from impulse to impulse, from idea to idea. If you don’t have an idea, if you don’t “rush”, then you are a vegetable. But then the idea came - and the eyes sparkled again;
• are able to concentrate so much on a task that sometimes it seems to others that you are a magician, “so you normal people can not be";
• know how to inspire, convince and lead;
• sin big amount“tails” and unfinished projects;
• you are in conflict with those around you who are trying to set you on the right path and foist you with a diary: “Plan and be happy.”

Irrational people really are considered lazy, they think twice before starting a project or two with us, because we are “ creative people, and such people often miss deadlines.” What also adds fuel to the fire is that irrational people often reproach themselves for their carelessness and whine: “Why am I not like everyone else?!”

Time management systems “45/15”, “60/60/30” are not about us

Irrational works in the flow. The flow can last fifteen minutes or a good three hours - for example, if you are working on the next chapter work of art. Plan in blocks. I take four-hour blocks, with an hour break in between for lunch, chores, or phone calls. Our strength is that we know how to dive headfirst.

Project planning

Any self-respecting irrational person begins to have an attack of impotent rage when it comes time to write a detailed project plan. That's great, don't write. Projects can also be planned in blocks. Combine several tasks of the same type into a block and indicate a specific result. And then - nothing at all: you immerse yourself in the flow and work with inspiration.

Summarize

Every irrational person can boast of a huge number of unfinished projects - we quickly “burn out” and get bored with the task. Is it possible to get rid of “tails” altogether? No. Is it possible to somehow influence the situation? Yes. Summarize the results, intermediate and “big”, final. It sounds strange and suspiciously rational, but nonetheless. In many cases, the result of your work, even if it is described in two or three sentences, inspires further exploits. Let's not go far: I have a couple of projects that I have been working on for more than two years. In one of them, the practice of monthly results has long been adopted, in the second we adopted it several months ago. And this practice really helps to move forward.

Get a universal tool for capturing ideas

Irrationals are overwhelmed every second by a huge number of ideas, and if they are not recorded, chaos will reign in their heads. And this chaos is fraught with another dozen unfinished cases. Write down your ideas during the day, and in the evening (or once every few days, like me) sort them out and decide what can be implemented now, what needs to rest, and what looks wild, but over time... who knows. Where to record? The shape is not that important. I use an Evernote notebook, which I can sing its praises twenty-four hours a day, while others prefer to work with a pen and notebook.

Delegate tedious tasks

The basic principle high productivity- this is not doing a lot, but concentrating on the main thing, leaving aside the unimportant. An irrational person is productive only when he is engaged in things that are truly interesting to him. For example, layout of a website and compilation of endless tables are not about us. But there will always be a valiant rational nearby. Don't feed him bread - let him work on tedious tasks. The result is a win-win situation: you are happy, and the rational person happily digs into the tables.

Switch

Irrationals have the rare ability to instantly switch from task to task. If they, these tasks, are interesting to us. One of the main secrets of the irrational’s productivity is this: what more difference between the areas that you switch between, the more success you achieve in each of them, and the more satisfaction you experience. Sounds weird? Not at all... just irrational, that's all. Irrational people have many hobbies, ranging from scuba diving to cross-stitching. They also choose different jobs: today they write articles, tomorrow they lead business meeting, the day after tomorrow they give lectures. And - no. It's not because we're so fickle and creative. This is simply how we achieve more on all fronts.

Choose your team wisely

If you are a businessman, or you have a project that requires a team to work on, be serious about selecting people. Typically, irrational people are authoritarian, tough leaders. We keep our standards high and demand the same from others. And therefore, in your team there should be both irrational people who are able to climb sky-high heights behind you, and modest rational people who, firstly, will do tedious (for you - they enjoy it) work, and, secondly, they will slow you down in those moments when you are running forward too quickly.

WITH special attention care should be taken when choosing a candidate for the “post” of an employee for knocking out ideas. Idea knocking is a process in which you, in delirium generator mode, outline another brilliant plan, and an employee listens to you, nods and from time to time inserts short remarks, directing the thought. Should he be rational? Preferred, but not required. The main thing is that he be patient enough (and irrational people can be unbearable during periods of bouncing around ideas...), stress-resistant (what if there are a lot of ideas, but in a short period of time?..) and friendly.

Slow down

Anyone who has “caught” a flow at least once in their life knows that it is inevitably followed by a rollback, that very state of a lazy vegetable, when emotions are at zero and you are watching cartoons. They are irrational with the flow on a first-name basis, but this does not mean that they know how to handle it. If we are rushing, then we are rushing! We will work for at least two days without sleep or rest. What happens next? Then we spent four days (and this was in best case scenario) we pay for our exploits. This rhythm of life is the usual reality of the irrational, his everyday life. If you live from stream to stream, and the rollback does not bother you, so be it. Well, what if it’s annoying? Is it possible to deal with it? Can. To do this, you need to practice artificial deceleration. Ideally, after each flow, get out of it a little earlier than the state of “fell out exhausted,” and switch to quiet, calm activities. For example, read a book, watch a good movie, or just take a nap. And once a week - not necessarily on the weekend, if you have a free schedule, then it’s better to do it on Wednesday or Thursday - slow down for the whole day. Or at least twelve hours. You can lie in bed or, on the contrary, do something active, for example, go hiking. It all depends on your desire.

Here are my goals for 2015...

People set goals. Irrationals are people too. There is only one problem: we get bored with goals within a month at most. A great opportunity to unleash all the dogs on yourself, isn't it? But let's hold off on the dogs. The fact is that goals - which are clear, positively formulated, achievable, and so on - are not entirely about irrational people. More precisely, not about them at all. That’s true, but what should I do if at the beginning of January I wanted to learn to play the guitar, in mid-March I changed my mind and switched to playing the flute, and in early April I decided to learn the cello? What to do in such situations? Don't set goals at all, or what? Can an irrational person force himself to do something regularly, day after day, year after year? No. An irrational person generally does not know how to force himself. And he doesn’t want to learn it.

The problem can be solved simply: do not set long-term goals if you know that in a month they will lose relevance. Our strength is our ability to work under deadlines. A plan for a month, for a year, for five years is rational and boring; we are used to judging projects in one breath. Are you planning to write a book? Sit down and write until you get results. Give yourself a deadline—for example, two months. This will work better than “I plan to write a book in 2015.” The same can be said about other things. Your goals are what is “burning” at the moment. Did you wake up in the morning and decide to write a series of articles on the topic of personal effectiveness? Great, that's your goal. Deadline is a week. Forward! And the system “you need to set goals for a year, five and ten years in advance” is simply a system, one of many. And we are not suitable for systems...

Don't try to change yourself!

I know, I want to. And sometimes I want it too. But no. We will never become rational. We were, are and will be idiots. We will always have a lot of “tails” on projects, we will always act eccentrically, dye our hair strange colors, dress differently from everyone else, we will do a week’s work in one day, we will miss deadlines if this work has ceased to inspire us. We will never be able to squeeze ours in brilliant ideas to the planner. Our daily routine will last for a maximum of a month. People around us will always tell us how lazy we are, claim that we will achieve nothing in life with such an approach and persuade us to “pull ourselves together already.”

So let them persuade, right? We all know: a truly happy person, satisfied with his life, does not try to change others. We are different, and that's cool. Go to the mirror, smile and say with a proud look: “Yes, I’m a goof! And I like it! And so be it.

Do you recognize yourself in the description? What useful things did you learn from the advice? Share the tricks that make your irrational life easier! Of course, there will also be an article about rationality.

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