I've learned that our minds grow to match the challenges and brilliance of those around us, or may well retreat and shrink to match the limitations of the shallowness of our chosen backwater. Where are you choosing to place it?

The hammock or the stretch?

Your mind doesn't require the leisurely rests that your body might after toiling on a humid summer's day. Lazing in a hammock can do wonders for the aches and pains of age, but placing the mind in a hammock during the day simply dulls it.

I was once given a gift certificate to a "sensory deprivation tank" which was supposed to enhance introspection and serenity. I was placed in a sarcophagus-type of box, with six or eight inches of water, heavily salted to provide for constant buoyancy. The air and water temperature were identical, and I stepped in and reclined without clothing. The lid was closed, creating a soundproof, temperature-proof, sightless environment.

After the 45-minutes were clearly expended, I opened the hatch from the inside, assuming that I was to exit on my own in the private room. To my shock, the clock on the wall indicated that 12 minutes had expired! Needles to say, I did not reenter to complete my session.

I know that meditation, yoga, and other forms of self-discipline can be highly effective in improving one's condition. But I've also found that the mind has to be rigorously exercised every day, no less than your body should receive a good workout, either naturally or under an expert's guidance.

My physical condition improved as my trainer stretched my capacity. Our minds improve in similar fashion when we engage ourselves in debate and inquiry with bright, assertive others.

Smashing filters

There is as apothegm that states, "There is no zealot like the converted." I find that when I talk to people who are rabidly passionate about a subject, they tend to know more and more about less and less. For example, too many people who (justifiably) believe that blogs and related "social media" are enhancing communication and learning, also will not concede that a great deal of that portion of cyberspace is filled with inanity and even mindless obscenity. They seem to feel that instead of an augmentation for communication, it is a replacement for all other forms of communication. (Many people have trouble today writing a coherent letter because they are constantly using slang and shortcuts in "instant messaging.")

We have to smash the filters that prevent us from seeing the entire spectrum. Any innovation, pastime, interest, or development is better appreciated in the context of the world around it, and not in isolation. It's dangerous for one's development to be inextricably linked to such filtered and narrow thinking. It's like the old story of the economist who was asked how to open a can of beans when there were no tools at hand: "First," he said, "assume a can opener."

Those assumptions don't help in the pragmatic world. What does help is an agile and lively mind seeking creative and innovative solutions and new heights. That's done by marrying the best of the past, present, and future. But it can't be done if you're marooned in a sleepy lagoon or peripheral estuary.

We tend to adapt to the challenges around us. Surround yourself with outstanding thinkers, in person, in books, and, yes, in the social media. Make sure that your own capabilities are challenged and expanded. Your mind can conquer most matters, but be careful that mundane matters don't take over your mind.

© Alan Weiss 2008. All rights reserved.

Alan Weiss, Ph.D. is the author of 27 books appearing in 8 languages. He runs his famous Million Dollar Consulting® Colleges all over the world, and has consulted with over 500 organizations, such as the Federal Reserve, Mercedes-Benz, Hewlett-Packard, and J.P. Morgan Chase. He serves on a half-dozen boards, and is the only non-journalist to have ever received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Press Institute.. You can reach him at Alan@summitconsulting.com or his blog, http://www.contrarianconsulting.com.