There are two different types of intelligence—positive and negative

 

Negative Intelligence

Negative intelligence is knowing what not to do. We cultivate negative intelligence when we focus on negative thoughts. Focusing on what we do badly does not help us do something well. Negative intelligence is information, not necessarily knowledge.

 

Positive Intelligence

The opposite of negative intelligence is positive intelligence. When we keep our mind focused on what to do and what we can do we cultivate positive intelligence. Positive intelligence is true knowledge.

 

Developing Skills

We cannot develop skills though negative intelligence. The information of what not to do does not help us know what we need to do. There are many ways to perform a skill wrong, but only one way to perform it well.

 

Efficiency

Positive intelligence promotes efficiency. Knowing what to do helps us to cut precious time from performing tasks. If we focus on what not to do (negative intelligence) we waste time translating the information of what not to do to the knowledge of what to do. In essence, the key to high efficiency is positive intelligence.

 

Learning from Mistakes

It is okay to learn from mistakes. When we make mistakes we gain the information of what does not work. To have that information benefit us, we need to translate it into the knowledge of what we can do to improve. We can never fully develop a skill through negative intelligence, but we can use that information to take steps toward gaining positive intelligence.

 

Cultivating Positive Intelligence

We cultivate positive intelligence by learning from our strengths, and others’ successes. The natural tendency of most people when asked about the quality of their performance is to begin to describe what they has been doing badly. This does not damage us unless we let those negative thoughts enter our subconscious. Once we notice that our thoughts are moving toward the negatives of our performance we need to redirect our mind to the positives of our performance. The more we focus on learning from strengths and successes the more positive intelligence is cultivated in our subconscious mind.

Imagine if everyone focused on their strengths and not their weaknesses. What would the world be like?

 

Application

The Fearless Mind Journal is designed to cultivate positive intelligence in step 3 and 4. Step 3 instructs us to list (at least) three of our strengths. Step 4 instructs us to write down (only) one weakness in the form of an action item. For example, if you’re weakness is being too passive you would write in step 4, “Be more assertive.” The reason for this is to teach our minds to translate negatives into positive action.

 

 

Use your Fearless Mind Journal everyday and focus on steps 3 and 4 to develop your positive intelligence.
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