Metacognitive Therapy: Exploring The Nature of Thought

Posted on by June 11, 2020

metacognitive therapy


Metacognition means “thinking about thinking.”

It’s essentially introspection into the nature of one’s mind. A question that has likely been around since the dawn of man’s ability to think, included the oldest philosophers who wondered…”Who am I?” or “What is a mind?” or “What are thoughts?”

Today, psychologists are beginning to apply the principles of metacognition to mental health. Metacognitive therapy (MCT) is a newly growing form of therapy that explores how we view our thoughts, and our beliefs about how the mind works.

This approach is deeper than typical cognitive-behavioral techniques (such as cognitive restructuring or “reframing”), which focus on how to identify thought patterns and change thought patterns.

But instead of trying to change our thoughts, metacognitive therapy asks us to explore the nature of thought itself, with the goal of understanding how our minds actually work.

In this article, I am going to describe key principles behind metacognition and better understanding how your mind works.


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I’m Too Smart To Be Happy: Debunking Depressive Realism

Posted on by May 31, 2020

i'm too smart to be happy


One common belief I come across (especially in many truly smart and talented individuals), is the thought that “I’m too smart to be happy.”

Many believe that there is a direct relationship between being too intelligent and being depressed. This is sometimes referred to as depressive realism, which is the idea that depressed people have a more accurate and rational view of the world.

To people that have an “I’m too smart to be happy” mindset, they see their intelligence as a burden. People that are happy are obviously ignorant, dumb, and/or delusional (the old adage “ignorance is bliss”), and intelligent people accept the world for the cold, dead place it really is.

Or at least that’s what some of us tell ourselves.

I sympathize with this mentality, because I used to have it myself. However, I ultimately find it to be wrong. And even worse than that, it can become limiting and self-fulfilling.

What this mindset often comes down to is an unwillingness to change, learn and improve. It’s an excuse. A defense mechanism driven by ego.

Sure, you may be the smartest person in the room. A genius who can solve complex mathematical formulas, program AI software, or engineer the latest technology. But you still may lack knowledge and intelligence when it comes to how to be happy and live a satisfying life.

There’s nothing wrong with this, but your intelligence doesn’t need to be seen as an obstacle in-itself.


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The Complete Picture: Zooming In and Out to See Where You Want to Go in Life

Posted on by May 18, 2020

complete picture


If you want to get a more “complete picture” of where you are in life and where you want to go, it’s important you know how to zoom in and zoom out your perspective.

By “zooming in,” I mean narrowing your focus to a small scale. Focusing on what you are thinking or feeling in the present moment is one way of zooming in. For example, what are you thinking and feeling right now? How do you feel about the current state of your life?

By “zooming out,” I mean broadening your focus to a bigger scale. You can think of your life outside of just the present moment, but also in terms of “days” → “weeks” → “months” → “years” → “decades” → “lifetimes.”

Generally, the more you “zoom in” the more clear and concrete things are, and the more you “zoom out” the more abstract and fuzzy things are. But both perspectives are necessary to develop a “complete picture” of your life.

In fact, “zooming in” and “zooming out” is one type of cognitive reframe – a way of looking at your life differently, by seeing how things unfold at different time scales. It’s one of the most powerful types of reframes in my experience, and it can be applied in a variety of different ways.

Let me show you how I use this type of reframing.


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Self-Improvement Ritual #2: The Color of Relaxation

Posted on by May 4, 2020

color of relaxation


Colors are a powerful symbol we can use in our self-improvement rituals.

For many people, different colors are associated with different emotions, moods, or “vibes.” And we can use these powerful associations in our rituals to help change our mindset or attitude in any given moment.

In this ritual, we are going to focus on one color that we associate with “relaxation,” then I’ll show you how you can integrate this into a small breathing exercise.


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Quiet Confidence and the Perils of “Trying Too Hard”

Posted on by April 30, 2020

quiet confidence


When most people picture “confidence” in their minds, they see it as loud and boisterous – but confidence can also be very quiet and reserved.

In fact, everyone has their own version of “confidence” depending on their personality.

This was a key lesson I had to learn while trying to improve my own confidence over the years. As someone who struggled a lot with low self-esteem and low self-worth when I was younger, confidence was one of my main focuses when I first started learning more about psychology.

I was always very shy, quiet, and anxious, so I simply thought “If I want to be more confident, I just have to do the exact opposite of my typical personality.”

The big problem was I jumped from one extreme to another: I started to become cocky, arrogant, and self-centered, because that’s how I wrongly imagined confidence is “supposed to look.”

Perhaps it was my own naivety and youth that led me to this “overcorrection,” but I find it to be a common trap in a lot of self-improvement.

When people try to change themselves on a fundamental level, they often jump from one extreme to another. However, over the years I’ve discovered that self-growth is often about taking a step toward the center and becoming a more balanced person.

The worst part about trying to appear “super confident” when you really aren’t is that it often comes off super inauthentic and fake to others. It’s the classic example of someone who is “trying too hard.”


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