Thinking Traps

Thinking traps are thought processes that lead to bad decisions or behaviour. I recently have come across the "positive" thinking trap through some people I know. Anyway, I did some research on it and found out there are several more of these types of traps so I'm interested to learn more. Please feel free to post any you've encountered.

Positive Thinking Trap: This trap is very common in the current era of scientific religions(e.g. Scientism - the church of science) and followers of "The Secret". It's a thought that "you can change the world by changing your thoughts". So maybe this is true in a few instances but it's not a general life-guiding principle, for if you apply it to everything you can come up with some really bad decisions and behaviours. An example might be to avoid dealing with your problems because they cause you stress and stress is bad so just don't deal with your problems and everything will be great...

:evil: The illusion of the magic wand :evil:

But that trap stops too quick, yes? And, is the mindset of a child..

That's the same child playing hide and seek, and then they cover their eyes, because if they can't see you, you can't see them, lol...

By avoiding stress, by not dealing with some problem, only means for right NOW you won't deal with it... The problem WILL make itself known...

Trust me, this is experience...

You can't tell the police that "I don't want to deal with this right now", that is the attitude of a youth....

Any others?

let me give an example what I call the illusion of the magic wand:

using the example in the OP of the Secret. When it rolled out initally (it has tentacles now lol) it said . . here is "the secret" to getting what you want. Picture boards of all the things you want. Look at it every day. Your mind will move towards it.

To leap for a new thought system in this manner, all legs ands arms, as an absolute . . . is what I call the illusion of the magic wand. The belief that i can "get all/have all" by picture boards . . . . . . avoids the pains and stress of not having.

Well, I guess I was thinking along the lines of adult thinking...

I could work toward a ferarri, if I really wanted it, but really, my life has centered around being a pond and not having any ripples in it...

As an adult, I realize that you have to have the ripples, to appreciate the smoothness...

I could have a picture of me flying, wings growing out my back, like a birdman... But no matter what I do, the chances of that happening is slim...

Perhaps I need to read this 'Secret", it is a book, right?

The secret to getting what you want, is to 'want' less...

lol...

yes without self awareness, without the ripples or a process . . . . fantasyland remains . . .the exchange of one illusion for another

Whyte Horse wrote: An example might be to avoid dealing with your problems because they cause you stress and stress is bad so just don't deal with your problems and everything will be great...

Avoiding your problems is not positive thinking. "I believe I can fix my problems." is positive thinking.

(Caring and not doing) is not the same as not caring or ignoring.

Here's a thought trap I see a lot - "If I just work hard enough, I'll succeed."

It is akin to the phrase "If at first you don't succeed, try try again."

While there is nothing wrong with hard work and a strong work ethic, the trap people fall into is believing that working "hard" is the same thing as working "smart". Showing up for work and hammering rocks for 8 hours a day is admirable, as long as your goal is to have a lot of gravel. Failing over and over to prove you are trying is equally counterproductive.

Know what you want before you start working for it, and you can determine the smartest course of action to achieve it. Work smarter, not harder.