In almost every “capability-building” conference I go to, the speaker uses the same tired exercise to teach a lesson on the pointlessness of suppressing our stray thoughts: he or she asks the crowd to try not thinking about a pink elephant. Then they pause for dramatic effect – as though something deep has been said – and the crowd pauses right back. I like to think the silence from the crowd is just a collective internal face-palm: “not this sh*t again.” 

To me, the exercise ends one of two ways: (1) I stop thinking about pink elephants, in which case the exercise is flawed and a waste of time. (2) I can’t stop thinking about pink elephants, in which case my mind is then full of useless imagery. In either case, of what use is this pink elephant to me?

In fairness, it’s not as though the elephant has interrupted anything much more useful, or more colorful. The other stray thoughts it competes with typically consist of everything but the thing I should be doing at the given moment, which isn’t helpful, considering my job (I’m a consultant). So over the day, when I should be making slides, I consider my personal finances, where I’d like to buy a house (once I save up), and whether the wedding colors I’ve chosen are the right ones.

I wonder if Arsenal will ever win the league, and whether or not heaven is a physical place (vs a spiritual one). I wonder why I’m not reading more, whether my co-workers respect me, and if the innovation gap between the West and “developing countries” will ever be closed. I wonder if the qualifier “developing” is just a troll on “developing countries,” many of whom have been told they’re “developing” for decades. I wonder if CNN considers its panels journalism. I wonder about economics, politics, sports, war, religion, and my general career path.

When there’s no one around to ask these questions (often the case, as I travel for work) I resort to writing them out. I’d like to think some of it makes for good reading, and – as I mentioned in The Ordinary Opinion – I feel guilty for not writing any of it down. Honestly, that’s about all there is to this. Where my opinion reminds you that you’re not the only one who thinks a certain way, you’re welcome.

Where its offends – and I hope it does at some point, otherwise we can’t be friends – I apologize in advance. Feel free to comment.

Sort of. I’m not sure I believe any of what I just wrote.