Premature Cognitive Commitments - Limiting Oneself

"Common sense is a collection of prejudices acquired by age 18."
~ Albert Einstein ~

We all have a number of premature cognitive commitments, often referred to as common sense, opinions, and erroneously as facts, which were created in childhood. These early beliefs about reality actually shape our perception and subsequent experiences. Where did you get yours? Most of us adopted our opinions from parents, teachers, media, friends and religious leaders.

PCC's give people a false sense of safety and security.

premature cognitive commitments: (definition)
pre·ma·ture, adj.
happening, arriving, existing, or performed before the proper, usual, or intended time.
cog·ni·tive ,adj. : having a basis in empirical factual knowledge.
com·mit·ment, n: the state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action.

When we make a premature cognitive commitment, we leap to a conclusion before having enough data to make a truly informed choice. This may make sense as a child when we relied on adults to assist in our learning.

As an adult, however,once a person makes a premature cognitive commitment, once they've arrived at their assessment about a person or situation, they may also close their mind to any future change in perspective.

In summary – PCC's are boxing (limiting) oneself to a thought or belief prior to obtaining all the information.

Also identified as:
Mindless thinking
Prejudice
Mindsets
Paradigms
One-sidedness
Bigotry
Discrimination

The harm it causes:
Interferes with constructive learning
Blocks creativity
Promotes attitude and feelings of defeatism
Eliminates personal responsibility
Leads to single-minded explanations
Reduces sense of personal control
Perpetuates separateness
Damages self-esteem

What opinions and habits do you exhibit that are uniquely yours?

Are you willing to look at yours, evaluate them and make conscious choices im your life today?

"Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself.”
~Harvey S. Firestone~
American industrialist founder of the Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.,1868-1938