What is Metacognition? Metacognition means thinking about your thinking. It is the ability to step back from a thought and observe how your mind is working. Instead of being completely absorbed in what you are thinking, you begin to notice the thinking process itself. You may recognise: “I keep returning to the same conclusion.” “I…

What Is Metacogstate? Metacogstate is awareness of both your thinking and the internal state shaping it. It combines two kinds of recognition: awareness of what your mind is doing; awareness of the condition from which your mind is doing it. You may notice: “I am assuming the worst.” That is metacognitive awareness. You may then…

Can Metacognition Help Me Think More Clearly? You may have noticed yourself doing it without knowing that it had a name. You catch a thought and wonder why it appeared. You question whether you are seeing a situation clearly. You notice that you keep reaching the same conclusion, even though it does not seem to…

What Does Calm Intelligence Mean? Calm intelligence is a way of describing a simple proposition: The quality of thinking is affected by the state of the thinker. Within GuideState, it describes the clearer thinking and better judgement that can become available when we recognise the state we are thinking from. Most approaches to thinking focus…

Why More Thinking Does Not Always Create More Clarity It can feel natural to keep thinking when something is unclear. If you are unsure what to do, you may think more. If you are worried about a decision, you may go over the options again. If something feels unresolved, you may keep returning to it….

Why Pressure Makes Thinking Harder Pressure can make thinking feel smaller. You may be trying to solve a problem, make a decision, explain yourself, remember something, organise your thoughts or work out what to do next. But the more pressure you feel, the harder clear thinking can become. Your mind may speed up. Your thoughts…