A Thought to Share
David Freund

“Two percent of people think; three percent think they think; and ninety-five percent of people would rather die than think.” — George Bernard Shaw

George Bernard Shaw made that observation more than seventy years ago. I often wonder what he would think if he were alive today. Have things improved, or have they become even worse?

In a world where we’re spoon-fed other people’s opinions 24 hours a day, seven days a week, are fewer people thinking for themselves? Are we simply too busy to think? Or have we become so accustomed to consuming information that we’ve stopped wrestling with ideas on our own? Sadly, I believe the answer to all of those questions is yes.

During Live2Lead 2020, Craig Groeschel made a statement that was so profound: “The greatest phrase a leader can say is, ‘I think.'” As I reflected on those words, I came to an uncomfortable realization — I wasn’t thinking nearly enough.

Leadership today is more complex than ever, yet I often find myself rushing from one task to the next like a squirrel gathering acorns before winter. At first glance, that squirrel looks incredibly productive. He’s working hard, preparing for the future, and making the most of every minute.

But there’s another side to the story.

What if he’s so focused on the next acorn that he never notices the red-tailed hawk perched in the tree above him? What if he darts across the road without seeing the garbage truck lumbering toward him? What if he’s working so hard to gather scattered acorns that he completely misses the enormous oak tree only two houses away?

He’s busy. He’s productive. He’s also oblivious.

If I don’t intentionally make time to think, I’m no different.

Dr. Albert Szent-Györgyi once said, “Innovation is seeing what everybody else has seen and thinking what nobody else has thought.” Seeing is only half of the equation. The other half requires intentional thought.

That realization caused me to make a simple but significant change. I began blocking time on my calendar specifically for thinking. Not meetings. Not email. Not planning. Just thinking. I discovered that if I don’t intentionally schedule time to think, I’ll simply chase the next “acorn” on my to-do list. I’ll stay busy doing what I’ve always done because that’s what I’ve always done. Activity can easily masquerade as progress, while thoughtful reflection often produces the breakthroughs that frantic activity never will.

Scheduling the time, however, is only the beginning. Meaningful thinking requires preparation. It requires knowing what questions to ask, creating an environment free from distractions, and using tools that help transform ideas into action.

The best leaders don’t simply work harder — they think better.

Perhaps it’s taking the time to stop… and think.