Not every question has an answer you like giving.
Chet challenged me to “write more about why you don’t write more. Shoot me the argument. Actually, you won’t have to. You’ll just gain the clarity to…”
Thank you not so very much, Toto.
Why I don’t write more is simple — I don’t LIKE to. This isn’t true for everyone. Many people actually SMILE while they write. For me, it’s AGONIZING. In fact, right now I’m thinking up any possible excuse to escape — planks/pushups/pullups, taxes, email. . .or maybe washing the dog that’s staring at me, head-cocked sideways while I rub my contorted face!
Not until studying Myers-Briggs’ 8 mental functions did I understand why I don’t NATURALLY like to write. Did you know your subconscious works AGAINST your positive self-esteem at 11 million instructions per second, while your conscious functions work FOR it at only 50 (not 50 million)? For my personality type, three of the mental functions for writing (“extraverted thinking,” “introverted feeling” & “extraverted sensing”) are DEEP in my subconscious, in the 6th, 7th & 8th positions called my “witch,” “trickster,” and “demon”! Moreover, they bridge in my 4th conscious mental function, called “introverted sensing”, or the inner recall of past events. Which means writing has been ACTIVATING my negative inner voice my whole life. Which is why I naturally prefer to just think about things or ask questions aloud to others, but not write or talk about them.
It’s an answer I don’t like because it exposes the REAL issue– namely, that my CORE is still a work-in-process. The point of Myers-Briggs is to discover your conscious AND your subconscious mental functions, AND their tendencies, so that you can CHOOSE the REAL, HARD, WORK of cultivating the enormous power of your subconscious. To live not HALF-brained, but WHOLE-brained.
This is why BUILT TO LEAD requires a lot of writing to exercise the whole brain into its highest mental state, called FLOW — which is NOT in bullets, but in narrative story form, not editing as you go, but instead just throwing up on paper, going in one direction, the way the brain’s designed. And then Rinsing + Repeating for clarity.
It’s part of BUILDING a strong CORE instead of SETTLING for living HALF-BRAINED. Extraverted thinkers naturally prefer the FRONTAL lobe of their brain to just jump in and respond, so making them WRITE before they flap their jaws slows them to use their WHOLE brain to reflect (introverted thinking, feeling & sensing) and interact on paper (extraverted thinking & sensing) for more clarity. Introverted thinkers are half-brained but just the opposite, preferring the BACK lobe of their brain to contemplate — slowing down provides time to process their thoughts & feelings before extroverting them by writing and sharing.
So thanks, Toto, for helping me see that as I choose what’s REAL, HARD WORK now, I’m discovering my OPUS, and learning that writing gets easier.
And NOW I can go do some planks.
BUILT TO LEAD 
Freakin’ MAGIC young Gurue. Leave it to you to give us such cerebral insight into “why.” I am smiling…
i didn’t really understand all of the science you just wrote about but what i do know is i look forward to what you write! please keep writing.
MM
This is absolutely fascinating writing.
My half brain is crazy enough. I’m going to go write so I can listen to what my whole brain has to say. Hmm…this could get really interesting. 🙂
MM & Shannonball. . . you are an inspiration to those you have not even met. Good building! p.s. if you wish email me your Myers-Briggs type (the four-letter code) and I’ll play back what your 8 mental functions are in the order for your personality type unless Toto has already done this for you. . . email is rue@builttolead.com. . .cc him and I will too
I also like it when you pray out loud. It’s always for others first. And you’re so natural and organized and comprehensive and heartfelt when you do it. Talk about clarity! So keep writing, John, and here’s a suggestion: make what you write a prayer…maybe you’ll start smiling, too!
Love,
Sully