You won’t believe how your mind tricks you into being unoriginal
“Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.” — Marcus Aurelius
Sometimes, I sit down to write and feel like everything’s been said already. Do you know that feeling? Imagine yourself standing in a forest and trying to find a new way to describe the trees. We read a lot, listen a lot, and watch a lot — and everything we soak up influences our thoughts. How many of our thoughts are actually original?
One thing comes to mind, though: while it may seem like everything’s already been thought of, the truth is that not all combinations of thoughts have been explored.
How do we get out of just echoing what everyone else says and start thinking our own original thoughts?
It’s a crowded room in here
Sometimes I imagine my mind like a living room after a massive, no-holds-barred garage sale. It’s packed. Every book I’ve read, every podcast episode I listened to, every movie that’s made me laugh (or cry), every article that’s caught my eye, and every chat I’ve had over coffee or dinner — they’ve all left something behind.
My mind is cluttered with piles of ideas, stories, facts, perspectives, beliefs, and opinions. Sure, some of these ‘mental objects’ are important and valuable to me, but if I’m honest, a lot of it is just…stuff. Stuff that’s crowding out my own thoughts.
And here’s the thing: aren’t we all kind of hooked on information consumption? It’s like we’re at a digital all-you-can-eat restaurant, loading our mental plates with bits and pieces of everything. Even if we’re not really hungry.
I call it ‘voluntary information overload’.
The more we stuff ourselves, the tougher it gets to sift through that crowded room in our minds and find a spot that’s just for us. It gets more and more difficult to find a little corner where our own thoughts can emerge and develop.
The echo chamber effect
I once had this dream, and I never forgot about it. In that dream, I was feeling like I was being chased by this...let’s call it a shadow monster.
I was in a dark forest, running, heart pounding, and all. Suddenly, I ended up in this pitch-black room. Don’t ask me how I got in there. I was shouting for someone — anyone — to help, but the only thing I heard was my own voice bouncing back at me. It was just me and my echo in there.
This dream perfectly reflects what I want to talk about today. Here’s the thing (and I bet I’m not alone in feeling like this):
Whether it’s the latest ‘must-watch’ thing on Netflix, YouTube videos, articles on this very platform, or just chit-chat with the people around us — it feels like so many people are just echoing each other.
Are we all trapped in this giant echo chamber without even realizing it, or do we just not care?
I’ve talked a couple of times in my other pieces about this internal frame of reference (that ‘box of cards’ in our minds that represents our experiences). It’s supposed to be this collection of our own, genuine experiences. But nowadays, flipping through it feels like we’re just going through copies of copies.
The real, authentic stuff seems harder to find among all the echoes.
So, how do we create our own thoughts?
Just recently, I was walking in a nearby forest with one of my mates. We were talking about life, but during those conversations, things were said like:
“Ah, right! I heard something like that once in a podcast, and it changed the way I think.” and “Yeah, I read something about it once, and that’s when I started feeling ‘this’ way about it.”
And then it hit me suddenly. ‘The influence of.’ So, out of the blue, I was like, “What do I really think about this?” Without being influenced by whatever it might be.
Why do I have an opinion on something that isn’t truly mine, just because I’ve consumed someone else’s opinion?
That’s actually quite weird, while it seems to be so utterly normal. Doesn’t that deserve to be investigated? Yeah, I think so too. This type of investigation required one simple (and challenging) element: silence.
When was the last time you let your mind wander? No phone, no TV, no earbuds, no screen. Just you and your thoughts. To be honest, many times, I even found it tough. I was so used to filling every spare moment with some kind of entertainment or information absorption. Sometimes, even with work. But giving myself the space to think and to be quiet? That’s like giving my brain permission to get creative.
So I thought of doing an experiment: the next time I would be waiting somewhere in line, I’d resist the urge to pull out my phone. Just stand there and let my mind wander. You can try it yourself. It might feel super awkward at first. Like you’re wasting time or something. But trust me, give it a chance.
I noticed that this is where my brain starts making connections it wouldn’t make otherwise.
When you try it, it might just be the place where your next big idea comes from.
Later, I decided something else. I made it a habit to carve out ‘do nothing’ time in my day, even if it’s just 10 minutes. Honestly, it changed a lot for me.
I also made a rule for myself that when I walk my dog, I don’t allow myself to use my phone anymore. Of course, if I get a call from my wife, I will pick up because you never know if it could be an emergency, but that’s the only exception. Earlier, I might have checked my YouTube analytics or Medium stats, notifications, and even reply to comments. Always busy. That time is over.
Not only do I come up with better ideas now, but I also feel more relaxed and less caught up in the constant urge to ‘do’. It’s like my mind thanks me for the break by coming up with the good stuff when I least expect it.
Of course, when nothing comes up — that’s all good as well.
Challenge yourself to be quiet or even bored. I can’t remember the last time I was bored, though, but that’s just an effect of having kids. Who knows what amazing ideas are waiting in those quiet moments?
Practical wisdom for the thought creator
I’ve thought about this quite a bit, and I don’t want to just leave you with the suggestion to be quieter and do less. I personally like practical stuff and tips that I can immediately use, so I’m going to give you some of those.
Understand the difference between learning something and blindly accepting it. We learn by taking in information and thinking about it. So do that before you go along with something that sounds nice.
Limit your inputs. Be selective and intentional about what you read, watch, and listen to. Quality over quantity.
Reflect daily. Spend some time with your thoughts. Journaling can be a great way to do this.
Create before you consume. Try writing your thoughts down before you consume something. See what comes out when it’s just you and the blank page.
Originality might not mean coming up with something no one has ever thought of before. It might just mean combining existing ideas in a way that’s uniquely you. See the connections others haven’t yet. They haven’t lived your life, read your books, had your conversations, and experienced your experiences the way you’ve experienced them.
The Stoic’s guide to thought creation
The Stoics had it right: focus on what you can control. You can’t control what thoughts come into your head, but you can control what you do with them. Cultivate them like a gardener. Some will grow, others will wither. That’s okay — it’s all part of the process.
It’s so weird to say, but I’m going to anyway:
Daring to create your own thoughts in this age is an act of rebellion.
I choose to slow down when everything speeds up. I find silence in the noise. I dare to listen to that voice inside me, however faint it might be at first.
When everything around you feels like too much noise, remember that thinking for yourself is a big deal. Keep this in mind when using AI, too. Don’t weaken your brain, but work hard to strengthen it instead.