My mind is often like a runaway truck barreling out-of-control down a mountain. It races so fast tiny puffs of smoke come out of my ears and you can hear gears grind as I try to downshift. It weaves in and out of traffic, blows its horn at slower drivers, scares the daylights out of pedestrians, and frequently crashes on a runaway ramp. My mind needs a good set of brakes. I finally found them.
For example, I’m writing this at 2 in the morning because my mind woke me up and said, “Hey, I’ve been thinking about stuff and we need to talk. Have you thought about this-and-this-and-this-and-this-and-this-and-this, etc.” Down the mountain we go.
However, I’ve barreled down this mountain enough times I finally figured out how to downshift and get control: I write.
Writing is like a set of brakes that slows the momentum of an overactive mind and gains control over the runaway vehicle.
Here is why writing helps me gain control over that revved up engine that rumbles between my ears.
Our mind thinks in abstract concepts, not sentences. Therefore, think of writing as a way to funnel thousands of disconnected ideas into one basic thought. While your thoughts might feel like someone took an industrial-sized eggbeater to them, writing can actually unscramble the eggs.
Think of writing as set of gears and brakes slowing you down. Or like a funnel that takes a zillion random thoughts swirling around the top and narrows it down to a slim taper. Here’s why writing helps you manage your thoughts.
- You can think 1,500 thoughts a minute
- You can read 250 words a minute
- You can speak 125 words a minute- if you’re an auctioneer
- You can type 65 words a minute
- You can write 30 words a minute
Do you hear the gears grinding and smell the brakes burning? Writing takes you from 1,500 thoughts a minute down to 30 words. I often hear the screech of brakes when I write.
With this process, I’m soon in control of my thoughts as opposed to my thoughts being in control of me.
I’m back in control. I’m going back to bed.