Thinking as a Hobby

Thinking is one of my hobbies. Thinking, like breathing and walking, is one of those actions we humans naturally do. So it might be absurd for some why I would categorize thinking as a hobby.

How can it be a hobby?

In my definition, a hobby is any activity that we enjoy, whether it has benefits or not. Thinking is an activity, an internal one that is. And, for sure it has it benefits, this blog post is a result of my thinking, for example.

Plus, it’s a portable hobby — you can do it anywhere and anytime. There’s no need to go to a certain place; there’s no need for other people; and there’s no need for equipment. All you need is a brain — and all of us humans on this planet earth have those.

Thinking defined

Edward de Bono, the author of several books on thinking, defines thinking as “The operating skill with which intelligence acts upon experience.”

Notice the two words “intelligence” and “experience.” Intelligence is like the house builder, and experience are his materials. Both are needed to build a house where people can live.

What can we think about?

Anything. Absolutely anything. You can think about your high-school friend you saw again last week. You can think about the Youtube video you watched a while ago. Or, you can think about why I’ve written this post, “What was he thinking when he blogged about thinking?”

However, it’s advisable to think of good things. Things that make us happy, like a cute kitten (or a cute puppy if you’re a dog lover). How about things that can move humanity forward, like the next big idea. (It’s inside us somewhere, we just have to find it inside our inner world.)

Thinking vs Action

I thought about this a long time ago, then I acted upon my thoughts by writing this post.

Have you noticed the above sentence?

Some people think (excuse the pun) that thinking is the opposite of action. It’s not. They both complement each other. It’s another of those cases where dualistic thinking is applied. Instead of thinking using “or,” how about thinking using “and” or “both”?

For instance, to become a good writer, a person must think about what she is writing about, then afterwards she will act upon those thoughts by writing it on paper or typing it using a keyboard. Thought precedes action.

Thinking is an activity

Has it ever happened to you. You’re thinking of something good … then suddenly … someone interrupted you and you’ve lost those precious thoughts. Thoughts that may lead to next big thing, or at least make your life a little better. They may think you’re doing nothing, but the reality is you’re doing something — you’re thinking.

Some people may think that individuals who like to think a lot are lazy, but they judge on appearances alone. Inside a thinker’s head, he’s doing something worthwhile, he’s thinking.

That being said, through this post, I hope people will realize that thinking is an activity as well. In fact, creative people like painters and writers does it a lot. Remember: quality thinking comes before quality action.

I want to think as a hobby too, any tips?

Hmmm. Let me think….

• Think on your idle time, like waiting in line or while riding public transportation.
• Think in bed before going to sleep (assuming you’re not that sleepy).
• Think when solving a difficult problem (but you already know that don’t you).
• Pretend to browse the internet or read a book while thinking, so people won’t think you’re doing nothing.
• Think of a random word and search it on Google — sometimes you’ll like the search results.
• Write down any brilliant ideas you have while thinking, so you won’t forget them.
• Form a thinking club — yes, they do exist.
• Think of what you have read here, even for a while.

Summary

Thinking is a common (internal) activity. If you enjoy thinking, then you can consider it a hobby. Thinking isn’t the opposite of action, rather it’s complement. If you’re thinking, it may seem that you’re doing nothing, but inside you know you’re doing something. You’re thinking.

Photo credit: Keith Kissel from Flickr