According to numerous leading experts, including Dr C D Broad (Cambridge philosopher), “Each person is at each moment capable of remembering all that has ever happened to him and of perceiving everything that is happening everywhere in the universe.” The problem with exercising this ability is that we would likely stop function because our system was overloaded. To protect ourselves from information overload, we use three main filtering techniques… deleting, generalising and distorting. These techniques have major advantages (that I’ll share with you next week) and some serious disadvantages (that we are focussing on this week). Let’s take Key Steps together to look out for how our beliefs and values influence the way that we use these filters in our lives and…
Understand our filters and filter with care
1.Delete: Someone who is uncomfortable about receiving compliments from others may well delete every compliment they receive before it even makes it into his conscious mind.
2.Generalise: Someone who begins learning a new language and finds that the first thing someone says to them in that language is unpleasant may generalise that the whole language is unpleasant. Or we might fall into the trap of saying that no-one around here ever helps me with anything. Can you hear yourself? I know I sometimes still slip up here. Generalisations are seldom permanent, as we are constantly revisit our concept of the world (or should be!).
3.Distort: Likewise, a person who has a fear of flying on a plane may often distort his perspective on travel, heights and even people who work for an airline. These factors are all based on the initial fear of flying.
Can you see how these filters can trip you up, keep you stuck with limited perceptions and cause poor communication and conflict?
Join us on our Assertive & Constructive Communication or Emotional Intelligence workshops and you’ll learn how to DGD effectively, overcome limiting beliefs, re-programme yourself for success and…