Thinking this morning about investments.
We all make investments of some sort, be it material or immaterial.
This posed the question of whether the advise of 'don't sweat the little stuff, and it's all little stuff' falls into the immaterial basket?
Often it is difficult to explain to others that the vague dualities of life show up and are amplified through the misunderstanding of terms being used in communication.
If there is no clarity, misunderstanding abounds, and thus the conversation renders immaterial, yes? Why invest thoughtful energy into a conversation that causes misunderstanding, conflict, and often chaos?
The first aspect of thoughtful communication must be clarity ... are we talking about the same thing?
This led into thoughts about executive level thinking. To put it in context for clarity we label thinking in terms of rational, emotional, critical, executive, etc. Cognition is believed to be thinking 'skill'.
Sidebar note, many who follow Esoteric thought agree that in leveling up it is the moving into our executive cognitive function. The evolution of subconscious movement through consciousness into superconsciousness. We can hit on Freuds explanations of ego. Jung went much deeper into conscious with his explanations. Skinner was always a favorite of mine when dealing with reward systems ... anchoring my belief in that human behavior is rooted in the rewards system and if there is no reward they discontinue the behavior in lieu of something more rewarding. Reward systems is a great topic for another post regarding it an narcissistic behavior traits.
Back to executive functioning. Far too many individuals do not, or barely reach executive level functioning.
[Cited from Wikipedia, great for elementary schooling but not so great for higher learning]
Executive functions (collectively referred to as
executive function and
cognitive control) are a set of
cognitive processes that are necessary for the cognitive control of
behavior: selecting and successfully monitoring
self behaviors that facilitate the attainment of chosen goals. Executive functions include basic cognitive processes such as
attentional control,
cognitive inhibition,
inhibitory control,
working memory,
and
cognitive flexibility.
Higher-order executive functions require the simultaneous use of multiple basic executive functions and include
planning and
fluid intelligence
(e.g.,
reasoning and
problem-solving).
[1][2][3]
Executive functions gradually develop and change across the lifespan of an individual and can be improved at any time over the course of a person's life.
[2] Similarly, these cognitive processes can be adversely affected by a variety of events which affect an individual.
[2] Both
neuropsychological tests (e.g., the
Stroop test) and rating scales (e.g., the
Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function) are used to measure executive functions. They are usually performed as part of a
more comprehensive assessment to diagnose neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Cognitive control and
stimulus control, which is associated with
operant and
classical conditioning, represent opposite processes (internal vs external or environmental, respectively) that compete over the control of an individual's elicited behaviors;
[4] in particular, inhibitory control is necessary for overriding stimulus-driven behavioral responses (stimulus control of behavior).
[2] The
prefrontal cortex is necessary but not solely sufficient for executive functions;
[2][5][6] for example, the
caudate nucleus and
subthalamic nucleus also have a role in mediating inhibitory control.
[2][7]
Cognitive control is impaired in
addiction,
[7] attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
[2][7] autism,
[8] and a number of other
central nervous system disorders. Stimulus-driven behavioral responses that are associated with a particular
rewarding stimulus tend to dominate one's behavior in an addiction.
[7]
The fundamental skills related to
executive function include proficiency in adaptable thinking, planning, self-monitoring, self-control, working memory, time management, and organization.
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