So much information is formatted to be step-by-step. GPS tells you exactly when to turn. Lego kits come with instructions instead of just a bag of bricks. YouTube and Google spell out directions for how to do everything from fixing your broken plumbing to how to open a jar lid. Software updates guide you to this >> that >> this.
I am saddened by how few situations require us to genuinely think on our own. It reminds me of the Red Flower story where a little boy received specific instructions from his teacher so often that when he went to a new school and was given the freedom to draw anything he drew the same thing he had been drawing instead.
Mindlessly following the leader has ramifications that spill over into politics and other aspects of life. If we’re not thinking for ourselves, it’s not only easier but maybe even expected, that someone will tell us how to vote or what is good/bad. At work, we can get in the habit of doing what we’ve always done rather than question why. We take what we see on social media at face value instead of verifying facts.
I know someone who just drove across the country utilizing maps instead of GPS. You may not need to go to that extreme but try to inject a few think-for-yourself exercises into your day. Break free from the step-by-step to create your own dance routine.
