Striving Towards Excellence

-Karthik Gurumurthy

I’ve learned that when I’m depressed, the single worst thing I can do is to continue thinking – especially if I’m trying to use my thinking to pull myself out of depression. Doing so is only “fueling the fire.” Many people believe they can’t stop thinking when they’re down, but there’s an enormous difference between doing something because I believe it’s natural and necessary, versus doing it while knowing it’s the cause of my suffering.

Once I realize that what I’ve been doing has been hurting me, I will find a way to stop doing it! I only tried to think my way out of depression in the past because I knew of no other options. But I wouldn’t put salt in a wound once I knew it was going to sting. Thinking while depressed is similar to pouring salt over a deep cut.

As I begin to understand the dynamic between my thinking and how I feel, I will be able to ease off my thinking, much like easing off a car’s accelerator when stuck in mud. Before understanding that trying harder doesn’t work, I’m tempted to push harder. After I understand the relationship between effort and sinking deeper, I ease off. When I resist the urge to think my way out of depression, I find myself out of it quicker than I expected.

The question I often hear is: if thoughts are just thoughts, how do I know which ones to pay attention to and which to dismiss? I’m fortunate to have within me an inner intelligence that is deeper and more profound than any test could measure – wisdom. My wisdom tells me when to listen to and trust my thoughts and when to ignore them. It tells me when I’m thinking in a habitual, business-as-usual way versus when I’m thinking from a wise state of common sense.

Wisdom exists outside the confines of my individual thought system. When I tap into my wisdom, I’m not thinking in a business-as-usual sense but from an entirely different standpoint. While society has traditionally revered intelligence, wisdom doesn’t come from thought alone – it comes from a deeper knowing that transcends my everyday thinking patterns.

The key insight I’ve gained is this: I can trust my inner wisdom to guide me toward helpful thoughts and away from harmful ones. This wisdom operates beyond my analytical mind and provides clarity that thinking alone cannot achieve.