Adler’s theory is that "A person's life isn't entirely determined by fate and past traumas but lies in one's own mindset." Life can be compared to a mirror, reflecting the various ways of thinking in each individual. A good way of thinking is akin to having wings, enabling one to soar higher, while a negative mindset is like a quagmire, leading one deeper into despair. Those burdened by negative thinking often fail to realize this and simply complain about their bad luck. If you possess the following three types of thinking, you should be particularly cautious: they restrict your vision, growth, and depth, acting as stumbling blocks on the path of life and must be avoided.
Tunnel
Vision
There's a
psychological theory known as the "tunnel vision effect," which
describes a situation where an individual is confined within a narrow tunnel
and can only see an extremely limited view. It's like being in a valley where
your observations are quite narrow. To get a broader view, you have to be at
the peak of a mountain.
Tunnel vision
thinking limits the breadth of one's thoughts, restricting the potential for
success. This kind of thinking makes success difficult even with maximum
effort.
For instance,
consider a story about a woman in her forties who works as a delivery person.
She grew up in a financially tight situation and went to work straight after
completing high school. Despite years of societal struggle, she always harboured
the dream of going to college. However, she was unable to pursue her studies
due to financial pressures and family responsibilities.
To achieve
her career goals, she devised a rule: eight hours for survival, eight hours for
development. Every day, she worked hard for eight hours delivering food, using
the remaining time to learn new skills, such as creating short videos, reading,
and playing the guitar. One of her videos gained numerous likes, unexpectedly
generating extra income. The food delivery platform noticed her dream of
attending college and offered her a chance to study for free.
However, if
she only focused on immediate profits by delivering a few more orders every
day, she might have earned more money. But compared to the opportunity for free
college and limitless future prospects, those additional earnings were
inconsequential.
"Life
doesn't become narrow due to lack of intelligence but from insufficient
experience and overly narrow vision." Limited thinking prevents
individuals from seeing the long-term impacts and changes in things, causing
them to miss opportunities and drift with the tide.
Only by
breaking free from narrow thinking patterns, broadening horizons, and embracing
unknown challenges can one enrich the breadth of their life.
Flea
Scientists
conducted an experiment where fleas were placed in a glass jar. Initially,
there was no lid, and the fleas could jump freely and quite high. However, when
a lid was placed on top, the fleas kept jumping within the jar but couldn't
escape. Even after the lid was removed, the fleas didn't jump as high as
before, hardly exceeding the height of the previous lid.
This
experiment metaphorically mirrors human circumstances. Many failures stem from
self-imposed limitations, hindering the attainment of higher achievements.
Those controlled by "flea thinking" are often confined by
narrow-mindedness and start doubting and negating themselves when faced with
difficulties. Fear of failure exacerbates further failure.
The story of
a female security guard is inspirational. Jane, in her fifties, worked as a
security guard at an elementary school. A modelling teacher awakened her
long-lost dream of becoming a model. Despite Jane's hesitation due to her age,
she started learning modelling from scratch. Internal doubts lingered:
"Can I really do this?" Encouragement from her daughter gave her the
courage to begin her modelling journey. After work, she diligently practiced
her posture for several years.
During this
time, she won many awards and gradually became more confident. Her success
story illustrates that without trying and taking risks, one cannot discover
their potential or embark on the path to success.
"The
whole of life is an adventure. Those who go the farthest are often those
willing to take risks." Kick away those stumbling blocks, don't limit
yourself. When you feel "I can't do it," tell yourself "try
again," you might discover a different height in life.
"Ignorance
is the obstacle to success, and its severity is beyond what we can
imagine." Being complacent, not seeking advancement, and being subject to
manipulation are all indications of ignorance. These limit vision, stifle
talent, and constrain limitless future possibilities. The stage size depends on
the breadth of one's mind. To break through life's obstacles, one must shatter
the shackles of limited thinking.
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