Metacognition, thinking about your thinking…

Quote:

Change your thinking.  Change your life!  Your thoughts create your reality.  Practice positive thinking.  Act the way you want to be, and soon you will be the way you act.

~Les Brown

Scripture:

Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things.  The things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace and well-being will be with you.

~Philippians 4:8-9

Perspective:

Metacognition is defined as awareness and understanding of one’s own thought process.

Our thoughts are so immensely powerful in creating the life we live.  From our thoughts come our feelings, our actions, and our choices, with their own consequences and then more choices.  If your mind is filled with negative thoughts, it will be an uphill battle to live a positive and fulfilling life.  So often we feel like we are not in control of our thoughts, but rather that they are in control of us, coming and going as they please.  While it is true that our thoughts do pop into our mind at will, we do in fact control what we choose to let stay and give further thought to, even if it does not feel like it in the moment!  How often do you think or say, “I can’t?”  That is negative thinking, the kind of thinking that keeps you stuck, as opposed to proactive thinking that would instead cause you to ask, “How can I?”  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). 

It is crucial to go beyond simply accepting our random thoughts, and thus our feelings and actions, if we want to live the life we desire.  We must be intentional and work to retrain our brain to ask and answer questions about how and why we are thinking about whatever we are.  Ongoing questioning, or intentional mental processing, allows us to learn and make better choices in the future, it stimulates curiosity and consequently learning, and it promotes critical thinking and problem-solving skills, skills that will help us throughout our life.  Make a good habit of questioning your thoughts; as with anything, this essential life skill can be learned.  Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not men (Colossians 3:23).  Engage in proactive self-talk where you ask and answer…

Why am/was I thinking that?  Does it help or hinder my goals/life?  What is my evidence?  How did I manage this last time I was in a similar situation?  What worked well and what did not work so well and needs to be changed?

A questioning culture should be fostered in kids both at home and in school to develop deep, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, two vital skills that continue to help us excel throughout life.  Learners of any age should not simply be seeking the correct answer as quickly as possible (although at times that has its place), but rather delving into and being active and strategic in the thinking and learning processes; life is a VERB.  Thinking and learning involves planning, while considering current knowledge as well as lack of knowledge (What am I missing?), and past successes in addition to past failures (Learn from every mistake!); monitoring our progress throughout the process and making modifications where beneficial; and then assessing our understanding or performance after the fact, so we are better prepared in the future.  If our approach was not effective, we must not dwell on it and allow our self to become discouraged but rather seek alternatives and learn for the next time.  Every problem has a solution if you seek it and do not give up!  Think about the methodology athletes use to improve: they plan for their training sessions based on their current skill set and the skills they need to acquire; they try new methods and monitor their effectiveness, making changes where needed; and they assess their performance so they can make adjustments going forward and thus improve over time.  For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity (Proverbs 24:16).

We all feel stuck at times, HOW we handle that feeling is what matters most.  When we are drowning in negative thinking there is no room for metacognition to take place.  Start by asking yourself what you can do to get unstuck.  Often, taking just one step forward gives us a new perspective from which to see a situation and gives us an idea of what to do next; staying stuck certainly does nothing to help us.  Any forward movement gives us a view we did not have initially.  Be intentional about checking in with yourself and asking questions that lead to deeper thinking.  When we struggle, it is not because we cannot learn (grow and change) but instead because we may need new strategies, more practice, and maybe some outside support.  Learning and practice grows the brain much like a muscle does, it creates stronger neuropathways and then those new skills or tasks become easier over time (Neuroplasticity!).  Hard work really does matter, you CAN get better at anything!  We must make a conscious decision to not live life by chance, but rather to manage our self, to drive our brain in the direction we want to go in this life.  HOW we learn, manage, and adapt to new experiences, challenges, and setbacks is crucial.  Take the time to reflect on your thinking, to gain insight into your feelings, needs, actions, and choices.  Learn to proactively work through challenges, manage frustrations, and find a better approach to what is keeping you stuck.  An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge (Proverbs 18:15).

So today, work to be more conscious, reflective, and aware of your progress along life’s path in order to become your best self and live your best life.  As with anything, do not expect instant results; change is a process requiring consistent, intentional effort!  Expand and replace the strategies you use over time.  You must ask yourself, what is making “this” hard?  What strategies have or have not helped in the past/similar situations?  Use metacognition to work through your challenges and create better problem-solving skills and deeper, critical thinking.  Utilize your ability to transfer or adapt learning to new contexts and tasks that present themselves in your daily life.  With effort, intelligence is expandable and small positive changes do add up to progress we are able to see and feel in time, but we must be committed to persevere even when we feel stuck, discouraged, or frustrated!  For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7).

Learning comes from a willingness to admit, I don’t know; after all, learning assumes one does not have all the answers.

~K. Nash

Life Applications:

>Take some time right now to contemplate and assess your thinking.  Until you have created this healthy habit, write down and reflect on your answers…

• What are you thinking about?  Why? 
• Is it helping or hindering you from obtaining your goals in the different life areas? 
• Are you utilizing prior experiences and knowledge to help you succeed? 
• Are your thoughts adding to fears that keep you stuck? 
• What do you need to do more of? 
• What do you need to do less of?
• What is a productive first step in the direction you want to go?  Taking that first step leads to the next step, and then the one after that!

>>Begin to research new strategies to approach old problems and unhealthy patterns.  If something is not working, doing more of it will simply not change that.  Spend time with God in stillness and prayer; watch sermons (there are so many good options online/YouTube); journal and become more self-aware; Google/research; talk and listen to trusted loved ones, especially those who have had similar experiences as you; and read, all in an effort to learn new strategies and make positive changes in your life, to create your best life!

>>>If you have not done so already, go to the Foundation tab on the top of my website and assess your strengths, weaknesses, and values.  A greater self-awareness is invaluable!