Are You A Committed Crazy If You Talk To Yourself – Or A Genius?


I know why they call that blinking thingie on your computer screen a ?cursor.? It’s because I curse at my computer when it doesn’t do what it is supposed to do. You see, I have a love-hate relationship with my laptop.

Talking To Yourself - Are You A Genius Or Committed Crazy?
Committed Crazy Or Einstein Genius? Yortw.

Home Alone

Sometimes I beg it to get its act together, to not let me down. Sometimes I threaten it. And sometimes we just sit in comfortable silence.

I talk to all my electrical and mechanical devices. Make no mistake, though; my computer is my primary relationship.

I don’t worry about talking aloud when I am alone, because Albert Einstein talked to himself all the time. Einstein, ?used to repeat his sentences to himself softly.?

I’m not the only one who carries on conversations when I’m home alone. ?I am also quite?aware my devices are not capable of responding?well, except for my computer.

That is quite another story.

Making A Genius

As it turns out, talking to yourself helps your brain function more efficiently. Talking aloud helps me puzzle out situations, tackle dilemmas, and design strategies.

It is also the sign of genius. Who knew? Last time I checked, there are 16 different types of genius. The smartest people on earth, the greatest thinkers, and the most brilliant inventors talk to themselves.

I notice they rarely admit it, though.

My dad is an inventor, my cousin has 26 patents, another is a neuro-opthomologist, and my daughter speaks five languages including Japanese. I hang out with geniuses who have a broad spectrum of talents.

Yet, none of them think their accomplishments are a big deal. That is because a surprising number of abilities and skills come easily to them.

Committed Self-Talk

Psychologists Daniel Swigley and Gary Lupya printed?a study in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, stating that talking to yourself is actually beneficial.

There are many advantages of talking to yourself. Conversing alone can:

  • Spark memory
  • Solidify the end game by?making it tangible
  • Plan the steps and items needed to accomplish a project
  • Learn anything from how to rewire a house to how to speak Spanish
  • Organize thoughts
  • Achieve committed goals

Psychologist Linda Sapadin?says,

?Saying [your goals] out loud focuses your attention, reinforces the message, controls your runaway emotions and screens out distractions.?

Sapadin believes that talking aloud validates?important and difficult decisions. She commented,

?It helps you clarify your thoughts, tend to what’s important and firm up any decisions you’re contemplating.?

Self-talkers tend to be proficient and self-reliant in figuring out what they need. Some prefer their own company to others; Einstein certainly fell into that category.

I, on the other hand, enjoy a good back-and-forth with live humans. People are fun, because most of them are really very interesting.

Some of them even admit to talking to themselves.