The Clever Blind Spot

A fast mind, an over-active and over-confident mind, a mind with a high cognitive ability tricks people into believing they are immune to cognitive biases, behavioural addictions and making bad choices.

Relying on intellectual superiority is a barrier that causes a lack of connection with others, but humans want relationships rather than analytical data. Cleverness acts as an escape from the unquantifiable realities of life, such grief, love, and the pain of life itself.

The reason why a clever mind struggles: the analytical brain craves numbers and words that provide an illusion of certainty and control. When it’s faced with emotional wisdoms, such a mind experiences anxiety because these concepts cannot provide a complete answer. Cleverness lacks kindness.

Shifting from a state of performance-based cleverness to true intelligence requires a conscious embrace of humility, which brings wisdom.

Practices such as active listening, accepting ambiguity and engaging in collaborative goals are the function and purpose of Dharma practice, and this outranks individual cleverness.

Rewiring the brain rewires the mind, and that rewires consciousness to seek value in contribution, rather than individual validation.