An ancient system to become wiser

After reading this post, we’ll see:

• What is Illeism

• Why you should know about it.

• How you can use Illeism to become wiser

TL; DR;

Illeism = Talking / journaling about yourself in the third person. This helps you take better decisions & become wiser.

Do you struggle to make decisions, especially personal ones?

Do you fail to step back & see the larger picture?

Do you notice a pattern of bad decisions?

We're emotional beings. While many people have mastered the body, few have mastered the mind. When caught up in emotionally charged states, we can't think clearly. Our judgement gets clouded.

This leads to the pattern of bad decisions. The effects are severe:

• Damaged relationships.

• No career progress.

• No self - esteem.

Do you know, there is an ancient trick to help you :

• Become wiser.

• Take 10x better decisions.

• See the bigger picture, cutting through complexity.

Enter Illeism. The act of referring to yourself in the third person. e.g. instead of writing:

" I had a bad time today because of a wrong decision", I write:

"Chandan had a bad time today because of a wrong decision".

More importantly, I continue writing what the wrong decision was, and what I'll change. By doing this, you create distance between how you feel, and your thoughts. Like an impartial, wise friend.

You gain a fresh perspective and notice things you wouldn't usually have.

But why should you know about this?

It may sound like an odd practice. But today even science confirms the benefits. Here are the results from a study with 150 participants.

Self - reflection. More than 75% People who practised Illeism daily improved decision making (in only 4 weeks!). They journalled for just 5 min / day.

Wisdom can be trained. More than 80% of the participants showed gains in emotional regulation. This was after just 30 days of practice. This challenges the belief that wisdom only comes with age. Instead, wisdom can be developed through training.

Emotional recovery. Another study with 89 participants. Those who used a third - person self - talk recovered from stress 40% faster (than those using first - person pronouns).

How you can use Illeism to become wiser

1. Start journaling daily.

   I’ve written more about it here.

2. Pick.

   Each day we go through different experiences. Did something bother you? Are you struggling to make a decision? Is there anger?

3. Be consistent.

   Like with any system, practice daily, experiment and change what you don’t like.

That’s it!!

I hope this concept helps you become wiser . If you found this helpful, share with someone who will benefit.

Further reading:

• Illeism: The ancient trick to help you think more wisely

P.S: Did you like this idea? Let me know. I personally respond to each mail.