Difficulties in organizing your thoughts: Start with effective tips from 'Think Straight' - by Darius Foroux

Hello everyone! I am back to reading and then writing this blog after juggling work and constantly thinking, “WHY DOES BEING AN ADULT HAVE TO BE SO TOUGH!”. Self-rant aside, hope everyone is enjoying the weather and also being as productive as possible!

Skipping to the book Think Straight by Darius Foroux — this was a self-help book that I came across in the year 2023, when life was drastically going through massive changes like completing post-graduation, settling down in a full-time on-site job, and also living alone! It was a massive hit to my routine, thinking patterns, and lifestyle. This book played just the right role in putting me on track! So if you are someone who feels overwhelmed at situations much more often than you should, this is a must-read. Or at least you can read this summary multiple times whenever required to help you out on those days! Fun fact: the writer himself has stated that the book is written in a way where you can read it more than once! He was right! I have read it almost three times since 2023!

The book consists of multiple small sections that are pretty straightforward and hold small drawings to help readers visualize. I've broken down my major takeaways into three steps, so you can get the essence of the book without actually having to read it. [If you are struggling to build the habit of reading - Good luck on the best start!🥳]

Step 1: Strain to train for useful thoughts

The writer focuses on helping us identify the difference between useful thoughts and useless thoughts. As human beings, by nature, we never have a clear mind where we can state, yes, I am not thinking about anything! It’s a very rare event, if I must say.

There is one interesting fact about training our minds: in this day and age, due to all the different kinds of diseases and life threats, we all focus on training our bodies to keep us fit. But a healthy and fit body is only derived through training one’s mind. The writer plants a good seed for thought by stating, “We hardly strain our minds unless there’s a specific reason. Otherwise, we often think, What’s the point?” Training your mind to think useful thoughts will save you time from questions like 'Why can’t my brain stop?' or 'Where is the pause button?'

Step 2: Training - The process

Training the brain is not at all an easy task! Training your brain starts primarily with understanding your thoughts and the patterns of those thoughts. The cardio for this training starts from understanding and accepting that “THOUGHTS SHOULD SERVE A USEFUL PURPOSE.” If they don’t, they’re useless. That’s thinking straight!

Also, it is very important to look at facts. Assumptions are something that the human brain can’t avoid, but being self-aware and cutting down on assumptions largely helps one fruitfully arrive at decisions.

True vs. Untrue is another tool that largely helps in sticking to useful thoughts. The writer says that convincing people with different opinions of “truth” is a waste of your time and energy, and it’s not the practical thing to do.

Take your time to think — the MVP of training your brain towards the right path. Thinking quickly doesn’t make one smart or a great problem-solver. There’s a higher probability that faster solutions lead to faster dead ends. The writer says that if someone asks you a question, it is perfectly okay to say, “I don’t know” or “Please give me a day or two to think about it.”

Step 3: Release your MIND

Step 3 is my most favorite step! Throughout the book, the writer has emphasized the importance of journaling and cited journaling as a powerful tool that helps one connect with oneself. I started journaling roughly about 5 years ago, and I can proudly say that it has been the most life-changing activity for me.

The writer has stated the three reasons for which he uses reflecting on his thoughts through journaling.

• It helps one uncover their own mistakes so they can be avoided in the future.
• It helps one value their progress when reading through past achievements and milestones.
• It helps in getting one’s thoughts in order so they can second-guess themselves to make better, more effective decisions.

Conclusion

The major learning from this book is understanding that thoughts are never-ending, so it’s better to filter out the useful thoughts and set aside the useless ones. It is very necessary to train your brain to do this, as nothing happens overnight without practice and consistency.

And most importantly, it is very important to journal and reflect on your thoughts. This helps in streamlining your thoughts and identifying where the actual problem lies. Reading through all your entries also enables you to understand your thought pattern improvements and personal achievements over time. You can check out my Instagram handle @bujowithhabi for minimal and simple journal setups that could help you start off your journaling journey!