You're Smarter Than You Think: How to Develop Your Practical Intelligence for Success in Living

Some good ideas on how to fashion your thinking into more productive and constructive ways. The fundamental underlying belief Epstein writes in the conclusion is that enlightened self-interest will lead us to the recognition that we live in one world and that the welfare of each of us is tied to the welfare of all. This leads us to the fact that we are emotional beings and should be aware of those things that make us feel good or bad about ourselves. He furthers the idea that love feels better than hate and it is to our advantage that we generate this emotion in the world. Two Types of Constructive Thinking: Emotional Coping: 1) Know which things you can do something about and which you can't. And if you can't don't waste time and energy with worry. Be Self-accepting. 2) Don't let little things bother you. Be resilient. Don't over estimate a things importance. 3) Consider yourself a worthwhile person regardless of your performance. 4) Dwell on positive events, not negative ones 5) Don't take things personally. 6) The ability to deal with failure, disapproval and with negative emotions generally. 7) Not to over-react or over-generalize. 8) Avoidance of black/white, categorical thinking and labeling 9) Avoidance of the tryanny of the "should". Behavioral Coping 1) Be proactive rather than just imagining and or complaining 2) If you have an unpleasant tasks create a way to make the best of it. 3) Look at challenges as a opportunity, a way to stretch and grow rather than as threats. 4) Think encouraging thoughts to get you through the hard times 5) Think through carefully how to deal with unpleasant tasks. 6) Be independent able to act and trusts on ones own decisions. 7) Take reasonable, realistic risks. 8) Maintains a sense of purpose 9) Reaches out to help others and willing to accept help. Human Beings have 4 basic needs to be balanced: 1) to obtain pleasure and avoid pain Helpful belief: The world is a good and trusting place to be 2) to make sense out of your experience Helpful belief: the world is predictable, controllable and meaningful that is faith in the universe. I try to understand what is happening to me so that I can act with determination. 3) have satisfying relationships with others Helpful Belief: That people are for the most part, supporting, accepting, and trustworthy. 4) think well of yourself That I am adequate and worthy of respect and love. Epstein states that the basic goal of therapy is to remove sensitivies and compulsions. Some points are: 1) They develop from generalizations from past experiences. 2) They vary in their serverity 3) They become more intense in stressful situations. 4) Reflect faulty categorical thinking, all or nothing, . Applying Constructive Thinking in the Workplace 1) Maintain a problem solving attitude. Focus on solving problems--getting things done. Make sure of clear communication and what is expected of them. 2) Be a flexable thinker. Know that there is a time and place for different