Zeigarnik Effect

[Tyler Robinson]

I want to introduce you to the Zeigarnik Effect.

The Zeigarnik Effect is the tendency to experience intrusive thoughts about an objective that was once pursued and left incomplete.

The automatic system signals the conscious mind, which may be focused on new goals, that a previous activity was left incomplete. It seems to be human nature to finish what we start and, if it is not finished, we experience dissonance.

 

you can read more about it here. 

http://www.psychwiki.com/wiki/Zeigarnik_Effect

Currently what I am doing is i am making a list of things that I have left unfinished since i can remember, especially from childhood.

 

As we all know, things get in the way of what want to pursue, especially when you are a child and you have homework and chores and maybe your parent's pressure to succeed and do well in school and extracurricular activities.

It makes a huge difference to me and it feels like I am able to feel so much better about everything just by giving my inner child room to breathe and enjoy things that for one reason or another wasn't able to at that time.

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I am doing this as a therapeutic exercise.

I am aware that this could be seen as just entertainment, or mind titillation as Leo would say, 

but I think it's the intention behind it that makes a huge difference. 

It's not just mindlessly play video games and watching tv, but doing it with a purpose and the intention to honor the child within. A sort of right of passage.

Hope you find this helpful.

"there is a tendency or “need” to complete a task once it has been initiated and the lack of closure that stems from an unfinished task promotes some continued task related cognitive effort. The cognitive effort that comes with these intrusive thoughts of the unfinished task is terminated only once the person returns to complete the task."