Think Straight

The author begins by saying he knows something about readers without meeting them: they spend a great deal of time inside their own heads, fretting and replaying worries. He calls this a preoccupied mind and argues that most of its contents are wasted. He quotes the psychologist William James, who observed that many people who believe they are thinking are actually just reshuffling their biases. Drawing on pragmatism, the book treats the mind as a tool that ought to serve its owner rather than harass him. The author insists that anyone can learn to steer their thoughts with steady practice, and he says he has done so himself. He lists the anxious questions that circle endlessly about jobs, money, love and health, and promises a short, practical guide to choosing what to think about. Written to be reread, it aims to steady readers in hard times and improve their work, relationships and projects.