How Do You Best Process Your Thoughts?

This recent photo doesn’t show me writing, but my computer is in the background, and I like how attentive Biddy is here.

I was on a podcast the other day to discuss how I work: my daily routine, regular and irregular tasks, social media, etc. We turned to the topic of my blogs (this one and my Stonemaier Games blog), and the podcaster asked me why I blog.

There are several reasons, several of which are different for the two blogs. But they have one thing in common: I process my thoughts best in writing.

While I’ve known this for quite a long time, it’s still a bit odd, in my opinion. Like you, I have all these thoughts in my brain, but for me to properly process many of them, I need to send those thoughts through my fingers into a keyboard attached to my computer and transmitted across the world to the WordPress server.

Yet works. Whether I want to sort through my thoughts on a movie here or a business strategy on my business blog, I like to type it out. There’s something about the act of typing and reading that helps me figure out what I really think and believe.

In fact, back during the dating days of my youth, every now and then I would have something serious to discuss with a girlfriend. When that happened, there were times that I’d ask for a break from the discussion to write an e-mail to her before returning to the chat. I was much better at processing my thoughts that way.

It’s fascinating to me that people process their thoughts in different ways. I’m sure there are others like me, and there are some people who need to talk through things. Others internalize their deepest thoughts.

What works best for you?

3 thoughts on “How Do You Best Process Your Thoughts?”

  1. me too! i make notes on self improvement, projects I am thinking about, topics i want to think more on, and then testing ideas on social media in short essays on FB. though i also love philosophical discussion, and lately watching philosophy lectures on you tube, and then making notes. but having a deep talk with someone where you can speak about ideas openly is very precious to me, both in forming and refining my ideas. one thing I have been very upset with in my progressive community is that some thinking is basically being treated as thoughtcrimes. I want to think freely, and ask hard questions, and maybe have wrong ideas, but I am always working to distill my thinking and determine where i stand on things. i try to be very open to new information, and revising my thoughts based on that. i think we are both of the mindset of learning every day….intrinsic curiosity and engagement in ideas, at least that is what i see from your public face.

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    • Candy: I really like that you are both progressive but also open to thinking about things in your own way. One of my favorite traits in people is when they’re willing to listen to people, process information (facts and opinions), and at least have an open mind.

      Reply
  2. For processing ideas, I use 4-6 mile runs to get ideas laid out in my head. Usually, immediately thereafter, I take out a pad of paper and begin writing with great abandon to get all of the ideas out of my head and onto a medium I can refer to later.

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