Friday, June 1, 2007

Narrow Focus and Balance


 Sometimes we can take analysis too far. As a scientific method or as a discovery process it does a wonderful job of breaking things down to their basic components to understand how it works or the basic elements of a problem. In each case we start with a known object and keep subdividing until we have basic ingredients.

When we take this approach and apply it to subjective things such as feelings, beliefs or goals; it can be like a hypochondriac focusing on a symptom and discovering a multitude of illnesses that they are sure they have and are forever curing.

We look at the problems and symptoms gratefully accepted from the whatever field of psychology we want to look at and decide we have it. We then put ourselves into analysis mode determined to find the cause of the problem and fix it. We can however, end up losing sight of the overall picture.

When we look at one aspect of ourselves without considering the whole it is like looking at a pile of parts from a watch. Every piece has meaning only to the overall design. You change a part at the risk of making the watch run faster or slower or not at all.Too narrow a focus can sometimes create more problems than it solves.

We need to be careful that we keep an eye on the effect a change has on the balance we maintain between all aspects of ourselves.

14 conversations:

Anonymous said...

I finally found a blog that makes me think and or contemplate.

Peter Haslam said...

Thank you for the compliment Dick

Amazing Gracie said...

I really love your posts...I do mostly light stuff on "Grace." I have reserved http://echosinthenight.blogspot.com all of the angst that has collected and needs to be released.
I appreciate your words and wish I could appropriate them!

Peter Haslam said...

Thank you amazing gracie for joining the conversation

Anonymous said...

That's some good insight -- it's impossible to be objective about subjective matters.

Peter Haslam said...

Exactly laura yet we try and try and wonder what's wrong

Diane Dehler said...

This is very well expressed, Peter.

Peter Haslam said...

Thank you princess haiku

Anonymous said...

I agree with Dick, you have a very nice blog, Peter. Interesting topics, deep thoughts and nice way to express them :)
W.

Peter Haslam said...

My readers bring out the best in me wonder :)

Anonymous said...

So true. ...and sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

Peter Haslam said...

Good one hollygl thanks for commenting

Sandee said...

It is tough to be a good, whole well oiled human being. It just takes much thought and preperation. Not too much, nor too little of anything. We are so complicated and yet so simple. Excellent post as usual Peter.

Peter Haslam said...

good addition Sandee